Anger over a mask - dramatic arrest
face masks
06 Oct 2020
/ 15:42
CORFU. Man, 40, charged with using threats and violence against the police - The accused man is suing the police for bodily harm and verbal abuse.
Corfu has been buzzing (mainly online) over the last few hours about the arrest of a man in Solari.
According to eye witness Vassilis Metallinos, firstly on Facebook and then talking to Enimerosi, on Monday evening a man, about 40 years of age, was treated violently without obvious reason by police who were carrying out checks to see that Covid measures were being observed.
Vassilis Metallinos told Enimerosi that the cycling police asked the man for his details so that they could fine him for not wearing a mask in a shop. According to the witness, he denied the charge and asked that they go to the police station so that he could lodge charges against the police officer.
According to information, the 40-year-old has heart problems - which he let the police know - and when he tried to get into his car eye witnesses say that he was violently obstructed by the police (other DIAS officers had by now arrived) who were overzealous (again, according to eye witnesses) in following the arrest protocols.
He wasn't tried immediately and allowed to go free by the Prosecutor
On the afternoon of Tuesday 6 October the Prosecutor ordered that the arrested man not be tried immediately and could be released. Charges have, however, been brought against him for using threats and violence against the police.
The 40-year-old has also filed a suit against the cycling police officer for bodily harm and verbal abuse.
Police statement
Ionian Islands Regional Police issued the following press release on Tuesday 6 October:
"Yesterday afternoon in Corfu police officers who were carrying out checks to ensure that the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus were being adhered to saw that a man was not wearing a mask in a shop.
They asked him to come outside and when they told him that they were going to issue him with a fine he started to shout and threaten the police officers.
Before the police could finish he ran away and got into his car. He then resisted the officers' efforts to immobilise and arrest him.
He was finally arrested with assistance of DIAS officers and taken to the police station, where he was charged with using threats and violence against the police and was also issued with the administrative fine.
The arrested man also lodged a complaint against a police officer for bodily harm and verbal abuse.
The charges have been passed to the Corfu Prosecutor of the First Instance."
According to eye witness Vassilis Metallinos, firstly on Facebook and then talking to Enimerosi, on Monday evening a man, about 40 years of age, was treated violently without obvious reason by police who were carrying out checks to see that Covid measures were being observed.
Vassilis Metallinos told Enimerosi that the cycling police asked the man for his details so that they could fine him for not wearing a mask in a shop. According to the witness, he denied the charge and asked that they go to the police station so that he could lodge charges against the police officer.
According to information, the 40-year-old has heart problems - which he let the police know - and when he tried to get into his car eye witnesses say that he was violently obstructed by the police (other DIAS officers had by now arrived) who were overzealous (again, according to eye witnesses) in following the arrest protocols.
He wasn't tried immediately and allowed to go free by the Prosecutor
On the afternoon of Tuesday 6 October the Prosecutor ordered that the arrested man not be tried immediately and could be released. Charges have, however, been brought against him for using threats and violence against the police.
The 40-year-old has also filed a suit against the cycling police officer for bodily harm and verbal abuse.
Police statement
Ionian Islands Regional Police issued the following press release on Tuesday 6 October:
"Yesterday afternoon in Corfu police officers who were carrying out checks to ensure that the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus were being adhered to saw that a man was not wearing a mask in a shop.
They asked him to come outside and when they told him that they were going to issue him with a fine he started to shout and threaten the police officers.
Before the police could finish he ran away and got into his car. He then resisted the officers' efforts to immobilise and arrest him.
He was finally arrested with assistance of DIAS officers and taken to the police station, where he was charged with using threats and violence against the police and was also issued with the administrative fine.
The arrested man also lodged a complaint against a police officer for bodily harm and verbal abuse.
The charges have been passed to the Corfu Prosecutor of the First Instance."
