Category Archives: Greece

Greece, Police, and Roma

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Greece, Police, and Roma

With 24-hour patrols by the Greek Police in Roma camps and the announcement of the recruitment of 50 gypsy police officers, the Ministry of Citizen Protection is attempting to present a new policing and mediation plan. It started all with a claim that effectively, Roma are basically criminals.

Roma in Greece are protesting against those measures and say that those measures will not build trust.

The Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis clarified that “the police will hire approximately 50 uniformed police officers, unarmed, with special duties, who will be close to the Police Departments of the areas where these vulnerable groups live and will play the role of social mediator, this will be their mission.”\

So basically not really police, and not a role that can be sustained.

Greece and Roma

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Greece and Roma

The Greek Police is planning to recruit 100 Roma, as revealed by “TA NEA”, the Ministry of Citizen Protection a few days after Michalis Chrysochoidis announced the installation of a force of 70-100 police officers in camps to control delinquency. This process, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, has as its main objective the better operational planning and the creation of information networks of the security authorities to deal with gangs in the western suburbs of Attica, but also where there is a density of Roma, as this particular community is considered to have a large share (over 50%-60%) in thefts, burglaries and frauds.

This is very closely reminiscent of what the nazis did … https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jüdischer_Ordnungsdienst

Greece, Roma, and the Police

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Greece, Roma, and the Police

Greek Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis announced the installation of specialized police officers inside the Roma camps. This will start happening in 1.5 months, while the police officers in question will be subordinate to the Greek FBI.

“This tolerance that existed for years -decades- and which for me is incomprehensible, must come to an end”, he stressed.

Basically, he is saying Roma are criminals that need to be monitored…

Greece, Crime, and Roma

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Greece, Crime, and Roma

“70%-75% of crime comes from the Roma,” he said in a recent interview (Action 24, July 24, 2025) the Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis. “I am not saying this for racist or prejudice reasons. Quite the opposite, I love their children and these people, but the profession they do must be changed: thefts, burglaries, frauds, electricity thefts, etc.,” he added.

In recent months, the Hellenic Police have been intensifying unannounced operations in camps throughout the country. Since the beginning of September, at least seven such operations have been carried out in Attica, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Karditsa and Larissa.

Roma don’t deny that criminality is present in their communities, but  say that causes are deeper: they are linked to the long-standing marginalization of the Roma in Greece, their frequent exclusion from access to housing and work, but also to the poor design of any policies that are implemented. “It is not a question of race or ethnicity, but the result of social and economic conditions that concern the whole of society,” emphasizes George Nikolaou.

Really???

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Really???

A 17 year old Greek was arrested after having stealing at least two Romane children and abandoning them in various places. He confessed to the acts, saying he did it because he “can’t stomach gypsies” and because he wanted to “show how useless they are.”

Greece and Bulgaria: Traffic

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Greece and Bulgaria: Traffic

A lengthy article about a traffic of cheap Chinese ware landing in Greece and being sold in Bulgaria. It seems that most of the drivers who pass this across the border are Roma.

Greece: A Traffic Accident

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Greece: A Traffic Accident

A traffic accident that occurred in the early hours of Thursday, April 25, at the intersection of Thivon and Kanapitseri streets in West Athens, with a 12-year-old girl as the victim. The accident actually occurred in a parallel universe, invisible to most of us. What was the little girl doing there, at this time, alone? Who left her? Where were her parents? Those would be normal questions. But the girl is a Romni, “Gypsy” as most people still say. So, it’s not at all strange that he was all alone on the streets at 2:00 in the morning, “that’s what they do” (said with disapproval and perhaps some disgust). And the issue will end there.

Greece: New Police Unit

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Greece: New Police Unit

The Greek Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoïdis has announced two new shock measures: a ban on public concerts in the Exarchia district of Athens and the creation of a specialized police unit to combat crime among Roma communities. The minister cited very high crime rates. “This situation must end. These groups are responsible for a large number of crimes: drug trafficking, fraud, burglaries, robberies… And it is the residents of the affected areas who are paying the price.”

According to him, the unit is already operational, with a structure, a hierarchy, ongoing investigations, and identified individuals. “Our objective is clear: to dismantle these networks. This is a personal commitment, first to myself, but also on behalf of the police.” This has been going on for decades, it’s time to put an end to it. But to do so, we will need everyone’s commitment.”

Bad.

Greece: Romaland

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Greece: Romaland

A theatre performance about Roma in Greece, with Roma. The scenography, which, through its few elements, flouts expectations. A plastic chair, a wooden hut with a tin roof, grass and rocks, car seats, a guitar, and even a large, dilapidated billboard—which will serve as a projection screen—denote an environment that ticks all the boxes of stereotypes. Assistant director Avraam Goutzeloudis, himself Roma, introduces the setting.

Teaching about Roma in Greece and Romania

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Teaching about Roma in Greece and Romania

The representation of people in schools says a lot about their condition. In this regard, that of the Roma raises questions in the Balkan countries: despite some real efforts, school textbooks remain very incomplete and perpetuate false ideas, as in Romania and Greece.

Good article, false history… Roma left earlier than indicated.

Roma Misrepresentation

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Roma Misrepresentation

An article about the representation of Romain Greece and Romania schoolbooks.

Good intentions, but stating that Roma arrived in the 14th century in Europe is also a misrepresentation …

They would never have had the opportunity to learn Greek …

So good intentions, and total lack of knowledge.

Greece: Trump and Roma

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Greece: Trump and Roma

What does Trump have to do with Roma? Well, according to this Greek article, American Presidential Inaugurations are very much like Roma weddings. Actually not like Roma weddings, but what the journalist thinks Roma wedding are like.

Bad, as it perpetuates stereotypes.

Greece and the “Copper Mafia”

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Greece and the “Copper Mafia”

Several articles in the Bulgarian press about a police action in Roma settlements in Greece against the “copper mafia”, which steals and trades metals on the black market. According to the police, these are usually Roma gangs, and the target of their raids are copper cables and railway tracks. Catalytic converters are also removed from the cars, which are then sold on the black market for between 400 and 900 euros. The more expensive ones are stolen to order from illegal car repair shops.

Among the people arrested there were Greeks, Bulgarians, and Romanians.

Conference in Greece

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Conference in Greece

A conference on Antisemmitism and anti-Roma racism in Greece on October 17th. It goes unter the motto “Let us never forget” and investigates the roots of the Holocaust, a systematic genocide during World War II,  which targeted, Jews and Roma on ethnic grounds. Its roots lie in long-standing prejudices and the radicalization of exclusionary ideologies during the nation-building period of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Understanding this historical context is crucial to recognizing and combating similar forms of discrimination today.

Greece and Roma

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Another one of those articles. This time, about residents who are “terrorised”, “trembling”, when faced by Roma “Criminality”. Clearly, there is a problem in some neighbourhoods, but such articles will not help solving the issues.

Crime in Greece

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A rehash of an old story. It says that 84% of the Greeks involved in theft and burglaries in 2002 were Roma.

Well, other say these are migrants, and so on.

Bad.

Greece and Roma

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A horrible article relating the violent burglary of a German’s house near Corinth, Greece. This is the start of a diatribe against Roma, with all stereotypes, advocating stricter laws, deprivation of civil rights, and cuts of social benefits.

Bad.

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