“They threw tear gas in some of the rooms forcing people to come out“. 4.3. A., from Morocco 47 Incident 4: “It has been some months now that I am here “They once caught me inside the port. They put in Patras. I have a deportation order. We are not plastic handcuffs on me. Then they beat me. only afraid of the police and the “commando”, They handcuffed me tightly. That was about but also of the fascists. There are some groups one month and a half ago. I told them I was a of Greeks who just wait to catch one of us alominor. They let me go after three hours.” ne, so that they can beat him.” Incident 5: Incident 1: “We were once close to the coast guard buil- “In March 2012, two “commandos” arrested me ding, in the old port. We were four Afghans at the old port close to the ticket offices. During and 5-6 “commandos”. They caught us and the arrest there were a lot of people around. handcuffed us. Then they brought us close to They handcuffed me and then started kicking the Check-In point. Some officers and drivers me. Then I was brought before the court and could see us. We were tied up together, then accused of stealing. I spent 20 days in the deordered to sit down and look at the floor. The- tention container in the old port and seven re was always one “commando” guarding us. days in the police station in Lappa. They did One of my friends looked up. The “comman- not give me any food or even a blanket. I was do” slapped him twice. We stayed like that for then transferred to Pyrgos’ police station. We three hours. A friend of mine asked to go to were twenty people in one cell. We were not althe bathroom. The “commando” started insul- lowed to go out. I went on a three days hunger ting him: ‘If you were in the truck, what would strike demanding my release.” you do?’ He then gave him a bottle in order to pee. I was very sad. I had almost managed to Incident 2: leave Greece. And they were beating us in front “Today the police and plain-clothes police ofof other people. They would not say anything. ficers entered in the old factory where I am Tourists were passing by, but would not say staying with their motorcycles. They threw anything.” tear gas in some of the rooms forcing people to come out. They were throwing tear gas to us, Incident 6: through the holes in the wall.” “It was last year, when I saw the “commandos” chasing after a boy in the port. They caught Incident 3: him and beat him up with the batons. He fell One day I saw the “commandos” beating up down from the beating. They forced him to two friends of mine inside the new port. At first stand up and to move on. He could not walk the officers forced them to jump into the sea. and fell down again. The “commando” lifted When they came out of the water, I saw the him up again, ordering him to move. Another “commandos” beating them with batons. They “commando” then dragged him behind one also threw gas into their eyes. Then they let truck. They beat him again. Then a “comman- them go and sent the dogs after them to bite do” car came and carried the boy away.” them. The guys were running to save their lives. We could hear their screams from a distance of 20 metres, while they were beaten up.” Incident 4: “The worst thing for me is what happened to a friend of mine. They beat him so bad on his leg that he was screaming and shouting for a doctor. They broke his leg.” 47 Interview held on April 4, 2012 in Patras 30 4.4. A.M., from Afghanistan 48 “I came to Greece in August 2011. I moved to Patras one month and half ago. I have not applied for asylum. Patras is a very difficult place. We all eat from the garbage. The police treat us badly. They are very violent! They should not beat us. It is forbidden by European law. We come from a country at war, in order to find peace and we find ourselves in the middle of violence.” my skin. The dog was holding me very tight. My jacket was torn up. When they pulled the dog back, I came out of the truck. The “commandos” handcuffed me very tight, on the front side of my body, with plastic handcuffs. My wrists are still in pain. There was also someone else in plain-clothes. Maybe it was the security guy or the truck driver. I was ordered to sit down. One of the “commandos” grabbed me from my clothes and pulled me up, shouting: ‘pano, pano’ (up! up!). He dragged me to a remote corner, where nobody could see and kicked me badly on my legs. After ten minutes, he slapped me on my face very badly and then let me go.” Incident 1: “It was twenty days ago, around 11 o’ clock in the night. I went to the port on my own. Two “commandos” noticed me. They came and or49 dered me to sit down and empty my pockets. They took my mobile phone and my sim card and broke them both. They ordered me to take “It’s been six months since I am here in Patras. off my shoes and threw them in the garbage Wherever we go we risk being beaten up by the bin. They both started beating me with their police. They have beaten me up so many times baton, in my back, in my knees and ankles. in the streets. Sometimes the “commandos” They were shouting to me: ‘malaka!’ This was cover their faces with a full-mask, so that we the only thing I could understand. There was cannot recognize them. In the port they always nobody else around. They brought me close to beat us up somewhere hidden, not in front of a building where private cars are parked. After other people (i.e. tourists). They beat us up beating me for almost twenty minutes, they with their hands, punches and kicks, with batold me: ‘fyge malaka’. I left barefoot. When I tons and even with some special rods, like golf came out of the port, some of my friends came clubs. They want to force us out of Patras.” to help me. They carried me on their back, back to the factory. A journalist brought me some Incident 1: medicines for the pain, the day after. I was new “They asked me where I am from. I replied. They in Patras. I did not know where to find a doctor. insulted me (“malakas” etc.) and then punched, I could not walk for a week. I still feel pain. The kicked and hit me with batons for about three “commandos” tried to beat me in my head. I to five minutes – for no reason. Generally, theput my arms over my head, in order to protect re isn’t any reasonable motive for the beatings me. This is why I was beaten that badly in my occurring in Patras. It is a police tactic. We are arms and hands.” all afraid that we can be beaten at any time. It is a simple matter of luck and of how well Incident 2: you speak Greek – whether they beat you up, “It was on April 1st around 10am. I was in the or they beat you more or less. They transferred port along with three other friends of mine. I me to the police station in Athens and then let was hidden underneath a truck and fell asleep. me free. I came back to Patras, on foot, walking The “commandos” came. My friends managed the whole way back.” to run away. When I woke up it was already too late. Two “commandos” came with a dog. I Incident 2: woke up, as the dog bit me on my shoulder. His “It was two months ago. It was on Sunday. I went teeth passed through the clothing and slightly along with two friends of mine to the new port. injured my shoulder. You could see the bite on We were sitting on the rocks, by the sea. It was at night. We were just sitting there. Somebody 4.5. M.M., from Morocco 48 & 49 Interview held on Arpil 3, 2012 in Patras 31