Peristeri gang of armed minors attacks youths, police arrest seven

On the evening of Sunday, 21 June, a large group of about 40 youths aged roughly 13‑20 gathered in Makrygianni Square in the Athens suburb of Peristeri. Armed with clubs, knives, metal rods, crowbars and other improvised weapons, the gang attacked other minors, shouting threats to kill them. A girl who tried to intervene was struck in the face. Residents called the police, who arrived within minutes. The suspects scattered; about 15 fled toward Nemaias street and remain at large.

Police seized an iron bar, a kitchen knife, a crowbar, a screw‑filled board, a pair of motor‑bike gloves and a saw. Seven minors – five Greeks aged 14‑17 and two Albanians aged 16‑17 – were arrested and charged with violations of the weapons law. A witness described the scene: “They came like a herd and hit blindly.” The incident has heightened concerns over rising youth violence in western Athens.