In a stunning turn of events, an 18-year-old admitted on Sunday to assaulting a 31-year-old police officer during a heated volleyball match between local rivals Olympiacos and Panathinaikos in Reentis, Piraeus, last Thursday night.
The 31-year-old police officer, who was seriously injured during the incident, is currently in critical condition at Nikaya State General Hospital, popularly known as “Saint Panteleimon.”
The young man hails from Ilio, Attica, and is known as an organized fan of Olympiacos. Following violent clashes with riot police outside the stadium, he was detained along with 423 other suspects on Thursday.
According to the 18-year-old’s confession, a signal was given to the fans to leave the stadium and begin an attack against the riot police. In a disturbing revelation, he claimed an older fan passed him a flare and showed him how to activate it.
The young man then threw the torch and watched it hit the ground before he noticed a police officer kneeling. He then re-entered the volleyball court and was arrested along with the other suspects.
In an unexpected development, the 18-year-old’s father, speaking to state radio ERT, expressed shock at his son’s involvement in the incident.
He stated that if he had known about his son’s involvement, he would have willingly testified to provide information about the incident in hopes of reducing his sentence.
The father emphasized his son’s youth, noting that he is currently in school and practicing the plumber’s profession, expressing his disbelief at the possibility of his involvement in such work.
source: Ecathymerene.