must have seen us. Two “commandos” came my shoes and give him my mobile phone. I with the dogs. They said to us ‘Mesa!’ (inside!). did whatever he told me to do. Then he starThey meant jump into the sea. It was cold. I ted beating me while I was in a sitting posititried to tell them in English that I do not speak on. He insulted me. He raised me up and said any Greek and that I could not jump into the ‘Mesa’ (inside!). I was afraid and felt I had no water. It was too cold. They moved towards us, other choice but to jump into the sea. I came threatening that they would unleash the dogs. out only when I was ordered to do so. He was We were afraid and jumped into the water. It standing at a distance of approximately three was very cold. When they let us come out of meters from me, pointing his gun at me and the water they beat us up again. I do not re- loaded it. I heard the sound. I was terrified. I member for how long we stayed into the water. thought he would kill me. Then I understood I had to go. I started running away barefoot and I was very afraid.” wet as I was.” Incident 3: “It happened one month ago. It was very cold Incident 2: and rainy. It was about six o’ clock in the mor- “One week ago, the “commandos” caught me ning. I was hiding in a truck, trying to leave again inside the port. They immobilized me from Greece. I stayed inside for hours. The with handcuffs and then beat me up with a vessel arrived. I could hear it. In the end, the baton in all parts of my body. I did not want to “commandos” found us. We were four hidden in go to the hospital. I was afraid.” the truck. They forced us to take off our shoes. At this point, the interviewee shows us his right They never gave them back to us. One of the hand, where he still hand signs of handcuffs on it. “commandos” pointed to the sea. He told us He could not move his bandaged hand. to jump in. I told them I was sick. They both punched me in the chest, several times. Then one of the “commandos” started going around 52 in circles with his motorcycle, pushing us this way towards the port’s exit. We were just trying to protect ourselves from the motorcycle and from him in order not to be beaten up.” 4.7. M.H., from Sudan Incident 4: “I saw twice the ship security officers using a taser on migrants. They use this small black rod with some small things on it that sends out electricity. They security officer took one guy out of the ship, stunned him with the taser 50 and then just left him lying on the ground.” 4.6. R., from Morocco 51 “ I need to change my luck !” When we first started talking with M.H he was hesitant about talking to us about the police violence. He explained that it is a daily routine here in Patras; It happens all the time and to everyone. Thus, it is rather difficult for him to tell us about individual incidents of violence he has experienced, he says. “It’s been two and a half years since I arrived in Greece. I first arrived in Samos. I stayed for a Incident 1: “It was about 20 days ago, around 17 o’ clock in year in Igoumenitsa, where I applied for asythe afternoon. I was trying to get into the port. lum. Since summer 2011, when the police arI was hiding under a truck. Two “commandos” rested everyone in Igoumenita, I moved here in found me. One of them pointed his gun at me Patras. I have no other place to go. The police and ordered me to get out and sit down. I fol- and the “commandos” beat me many times lowed his orders. I was alone. While I was sit- here. Wherever I go, I am in danger. Being a ting on the ground he ordered me to take off “pink card” holder does not offer me any pro- 50 Electroshock weapon 51 Interview held on April 3, 2012 in Patras 52 Interview held on April 4, 2012 in Patras tection. On the contrary, it is a big problem for the police. I do not really know why, but they beat us more if we have a “pink card”. The situation in Patras is very bad. You can never sleep. Nobody can ever sleep. When we see a police car or a police motorcycle we run away. It does not matter if you have any papers or not. They do not ask you if you have any problem or not. They just beat you. Patras is finished for refugees. I do not know if it’s in one day or in one month. The police are very bad. The Greek people are not bad – there are so many refugees. Some people also help us. They inform us about the fascists’ demonstrations. In Igoumenitsa the “commandos” were beating us, not the police. It was a small city and all refugees knew where the police officers where staying. The police don’t like the refugees. For us Sudanese, it’s a little bit easier. For those from Afghanistan or from Maghreb it’s more difficult. But they also beat us Sudanese. Today the police came at the place where I live. They arrested everybody, apart from me. I have no idea where my friends are now.” and said some other bad words in Greek. I’m afraid to walk through the city on my own. I go a long way round to reach the place where I’m staying. I’m trying to avoid the police now. I am always hiding from them.” Incident 3: “It was in the afternoon, around 5pm when the “commandos” caught me in the port. There was none else around. There were four “commandos” in a car and two others on a motorcycle. They handcuffed me with plastic cuffs. They searched into my pockets. They found my “pink card” and beat me once more for some minutes, even though I was handcuffed. Then they let me go.” Incident 4: “I was never attacked by a dog, but a Sudanese friend of mine was. The dog bit him so badly, that he broke his hand. He was in the port, running away from the “commandos”. The “commandos” unleashed the dog and shouted: ‘get him!’. The dog did not let go, until the “commandos” grabbed its neck and squeezed it. Only then it let go of my friend’s hand. They then let him go. He went to the hospital as his hand was injured and broken.” Incident 1: “Three days ago, it was late at night and I was trying to find a place to hide in the port. The “commandos” saw me. They asked me whether Incident 5: I had any papers. I said I did not have any pa- “Two months ago, I was caught by a “commanpers, as they would tear them up. They do not do” in the port. It was late at night. I just came like us to have papers. They took my mobile out of the truck where I was hiding. There were phone and stepped on it. They punched me in no people around. He threw me down. I was my head and beat me with their batons in my lying on the ground with my face down. Then back. I could not move for a couple of days, be- he walked over me. He did not insult me with words, but he did it in the worst possible way.” cause of the pain.” Incident 2: 53 “One week ago, I was on my way back to the place where I’m staying. It was around 5am. I was walking alone along the train rails in the “I believe that dogs have better luck than us dark. The police appeared. An officer asked me here in Patras. I have been beaten and I have why I was close to the port. There were two seen others being beaten up by the police and other officers in the patrol car and one stan- the “commandos”. Can you tell me why they ding next to it. They handcuffed me. Then they treat us like that? I am always scared. I am afstarted beating me up, all together. They beat raid to wake up. I am afraid to go to the garbame in the temples with the baton. Then they ge and look for food. I am afraid to go to the grabbed me by my scruff from my neck and lif- city.” ted me up. I was shouting: “I’m sick! I’m sick!” They then let me go. They said: ‘fyge malaka!’, 4.8. M., from Morocco 53 Interview held on April 3, 2012 in Patras 33