Athens [Greece]: Amid ban on gatherings against the spread of COVID-19, hundreds of Pakistanis flooded Syntagma Square in central Athens on New Year’s Eve drawing the ire of Greek citizens and its politicians. Politicians, celebrities and social media all reacted strongly to the Pakistani “occupation” of Syntagma Square, reported Greek City Times. Constantinos Bogdanos, the MP who was recently expelled from the ruling New Democracy Party, could be considered as a typical representative of the trend that “Greece is besieged by a herd of foreigners.” He wrote on Twitter on New Year’s Day, “Yesterday’s picture shows: 1) The size of the invasion 2) That the invaders enjoy more rights than the natives. Whatever is forbidden to you by fine or bat, it is permissible for them without hindrance.” Singer Grigoris Petrakos also made a complaint on social media, demanding, among other things, the resignation of the government, reported Greek City Times. Petrakos commented that “if in a week the hospitals are not full of intubated Pakistanis, I would like the resignation of the commission and the government for mockery and deception.” “Let me remind you that the Greeks were forbidden in the shops… Let me remind you that the Patras Carnival was banned for 3 years,” added Petrakos. “So I was there, in Syntagma, on New Year’s Eve. And I saw with my own eyes over 300,000 men (strictly) of all races (except the Greek) doing everything that is forbidden to us. It was not just Syntagma. It was Thiseio, Monastiraki, Acropolis, Omonia and all the main and side streets!” he added. On New Year’s Eve, a few hours after the announcement of the heavy fines for those breaching protection measures against the spread of COVID-19, hundreds of Pakistanis flooded Syntagma Square in central Athens. Pakistanis for the most part crowded, practically out of control, with the police virtually absent, reported Greek City Times. In videos that have been widely circulated on social media, the Pakistanis seem to enjoy their own audacity with their indifference to masks and other precautionary measures.
