every photograph of their son reopens
Old Wounds more than two years ago Aris
cabanos and his wife Melina lost their
son when he fell victim to a
crime he always tried to support the
weaker pupils at
school anyone who needed
help he was an
angel I miss him very much
alus was killed because he was a fan of
the wrong soccer team Hooligans from an
opposing Club beat him to death in broad
daylight when it came to fanatical fans
he kept away from
them I remember I would warn him again
and again so he wouldn't get involved in
incidents there's a memorial to alus in
the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki
the 19-year-old was sitting here with
his friends when the attackers showed up
in
cars The Hooligans asked which team they
supported then the punches and stabbing
began Alis bled to death at the
scene a mix of sports and violence has
long been a part of daily life in Greece
but the brutality of recent years is
unprecedented three people were killed
in 18
months the most recent death came in
December 2023 when police officer yorgos
lieres was fatally injured by a
flare there are two first division
soccer clubs in Thessaloniki Sports
journalist peric Stellas says that's a
recipe for
trouble he's been a victim of the
violence himself self 20 years ago he
was attacked by masked asants on the
street his injuries were
life-threatening 3 days earlier he had
received an anonymous
call he told me that uh if you will not
stop right about this
person you will have a big problem
cameras his asants were never caught
even though there were were many
security cameras at the scene Stella
suspects that the influence wielded by
big soccer clubs in Greece reaches all
the way to the police and
politics never
investigate
governments politicians
journalists no
one tou the
system Stella says the media are
involved as well all you need to do is
look look at the country's soccer
Publications their headlines are meant
to rile up the
fans kill them
um we must we must win a
boy 16 years old who read the this
newspaper what he will
do Nikos Kos has a 15-year-old son who's
a fan of the Aris Club he wouldn't allow
him to go to the stadium alone contas is
going to one of the club's home games
today but he's always on the lookout for
Hooligans you have to be especially
careful when there's matches between
local Rivals it's best when fans from
both sides avoid each other I don't
drive through the tumba District of the
city where the tumba stadium is
located Riot police have already been
posted in front of Aris Stadium condos
has his personalized admission ticket on
his phone as digitized tickets have
replaced printed ones at least Kos can
get back into the stadium again after
the police officer was killed the Greek
Soccer Association ordered matches be
played in empty stadiums for 3 months
yet visiting fans are still not allowed
in the stadium for security
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reasons Nikos kto team won won two nil
in the end he says the government should
be tougher on the
Hooligans they should double the
sentences there has to be a deterrent
especially when the attacks are taking
place outside of the
stadium alus was killed far from the
stadium there wasn't even a match that
day his father arus has campaigned since
then for Nationwide reconciliation
between different groups of fans
there's no magical overnight solution
for the problem of fan
violence everyone involved our whole
society we must come together in the
name of
change but cabano still says he's seen
little progress in Greece violence
continues to Mar sports events that's
why this year as in the years before the
soccer cup final will be played Without
spectators for