Police fire tear gas outside Thessaloniki court ahead of soccer fan murder trial

Police fired tear state to disperse clashes extracurricular the Thessaloniki courthouse aboriginal connected Monday, soon earlier the start of the entreaty trial implicit the execution of 19-year-old soccer instrumentality Alkis Kampanos successful 2022.

A radical of masked individuals threw objects toward radical gathered connected the courthouse steps, section media reported. Riot constabulary (MAT) stationed astatine the country responded with tear state to reconstruct order. Two radical were aboriginal arrested, according to the reports.

The case, which drew nationalist attraction arsenic a stark illustration of instrumentality violence successful Greek soccer, is being heard by the Mixed Jury Court of Appeals of Thessaloniki.

Twelve PAOK supporters are connected trial. Seven were antecedently sentenced to beingness imprisonment and further situation terms arsenic co-perpetrators of intentional homicide, while 5 others received lesser sentences arsenic accomplices.

The entreaty proceedings are expected to statesman formally erstwhile preliminary motions are heard, including imaginable requests for adjournment. The tribunal is not bound by the archetypal verdict, aft erstwhile caput of the Thessaloniki Appeals Prosecutor’s Office Nikos Kallidis filed an entreaty successful July 2023 seeking harsher sentences.

Kampanos was beaten and fatally stabbed by rival supporters successful February '22 successful Thessaloniki’s Harilaou territory during an onslaught linked to soccer rivalry. His sidesplitting prompted nationwide condemnation and renewed calls to tackle sports-related violence successful Greece.