The latest instance of violence directed against a faculty member at a Greek public university reportedly occurred last Friday, with a group of up to 15 masked and black-clad assailants appearing to threaten a University of Athens mathematics professor before ransacking his academic office while he was inside with a student.

The incident was only reported this week, sparking a police and prosecutor’s investigation.

The incident was first detailed in an email sent by professor Sotirios Notaris, the head of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens’ mathematics department, to the school’s rector. Prof. Notaris said the group of unknown suspects barged into his office, threw red paint and eggs at him and around the office before vandalizing his desk, computer, other equipment and destroying documents. He was in his office with a student taking an oral exam at the time.

When departing, one of the masked individuals, a woman, reportedly warned him that if “you do anything like this again, we will kill you.”

According to reports, the academic had not filed a formal complaint with police, instead the investigation was ordered by authorities after learning of the incident.

University campuses in Greece, especially in Athens and Thessaloniki, have been plagued for decades by vandalism, petty crime, clashes between political party-affiliated student groups and numerous “occupations” and sit-ins, usually conducted by self-styled anarchist and anti-state groupings and gangs.

Due to a 1982 law granting higher education premises an “asylum status”, whereby law enforcement personnel cannot enter without a faculty senate or rector’s permission, campuses and buildings have in the past been used as “warehouses” for bootleg goods, drugs and even riot paraphernalia. Weekend parties at university “squats” are also well-known for selling liquor and “admission fees” off-the-books, a lucrative tax- and contribution-free activity.

The asylum regime was partially revised after 2019.

Prof. Notaris, who completed his graduate and Ph.D. studies at Purdue, said he believes the violent confrontation is related to his opposition to the existence of an underground canteen run by the specific group as well as control over commons space within the department building.

He said a decision to block the entry into the building from a side door used by trespassers after hours likely resulted in the “visit” by the hoodlums. Notaris said he acted to restrict unauthorized access, including locking a side entrance used by intruders to bypass security. Violators later broke through the door and then removed it altogether.

A “justification” for the violence was later posted on a notorious local web portal known for hosting anonymous material by anarchist cooperatives, anti-establishment groups and even far-left urban terror cells.

University officials and the education ministry sharply condemned the incident, with stepped up security ordered at the school.