Stabbing Greek Club Thessaloniki Supporter Aris Jailed 4 Years 3 Months

JAKARTA - A Greek court on Thursday sentenced a man to prison for stabbing to death a young soccer fan as investigations into the crime continue.

The 23-year-old defendant was sentenced to four years and three months in prison after police found evidence he had access to a flat containing knives, sticks, metal pipes, flares and other weapons used by football rioters, Greek news agency ANA said, as reported by Reuters. reported by Antara from AFP.

The man, who was convicted of running a fan club and illegal possession of a gun, is also accused of stabbing and killing a 19-year-old Thessaloniki city club Aris FC supporter on Tuesday.

Two of the teenager's friends were also injured in the pre-dawn attack.

Witnesses said the victims aged 18 to 20 were walking near the Aris FC stadium when two cars pulled up, and the passengers got out to attack the three.

The attackers reportedly shouted abuse at the Aris FC team.

Police said the victim was stabbed in the upper thigh and bleeding, while two others were treated at a local hospital with multiple injuries.

Thessaloniki is no stranger to clashes between supporters of the city's two big clubs, Aris and PAOK.

In December PAOK club were fined 193,500 euros by the Greek Super League and ordered to play their next four home games behind closed doors following violence in the derby against Aris FC.

Two fans from Bulgaria and Cyprus were killed in traffic accidents in Thessaloniki during street violence in 2017 and 2020.

In 2007, an Athens Panathinaikos fan was killed in a planned clash between hooligans involving some 300 Olympiakos and Panathinaikos supporters in Peania, east of Athens.