A mother in Ermoupoli, the capital of the Greek island of Syros, says she was surrounded by a group of about 15 teenagers who insulted and pushed her in the town's central square while her young son and other children looked on.
The woman spoke on the record to the local news outlet CycladesLive about what she says happened one morning after the traditional school blessing ceremony, known as the agiasmos, had finished nearby.
At the time, she had gone to the square with her son, her five-year-old nephew and two other children from their school circle, she said.
According to her account, a group of around 15 teenagers had gathered in the square, and tension had broken out among them, with some exchanging blows.
The confrontation
Seeing what was happening, the mother said she decided to intervene and told the minors that punches were not a game.
She said her intervention provoked a reaction from several of the boys, who she alleges approached and surrounded her and began insulting her, while one of the teenagers pushed her. She said all of this took place in front of the small children who were with her.
The woman said she reacted by shouting and warned the group that she was going to call the police. After she mentioned the authorities, she said, the teenagers left the scene and ran off toward Kotsodonti Square.
Second allegation involving a 12-year-old
The mother's account does not stop with what she says happened to her. She said that a short time later, a 12-year-old boy reportedly found himself confronted by the same group.
According to her allegations, the teenagers pulled down the boy's trousers in an attempt to humiliate him in front of others.
These events are described solely by the woman herself and are being reported as her allegation. It has not been established whether the incident has been formally reported to the relevant authorities.
'The situation has gotten out of control'
Prompted by what she says she experienced, the mother called on parents to pay closer attention to where their children are and how they behave when out without adult supervision.
She said the situation had gotten out of control and that she feared the square no longer belonged to children but to groups acting without any control.
Describing how she felt during the incident, she said she had felt vulnerable on her own island, adding that she had travelled the whole world and had never encountered anything like it.
Background
Syros is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea, and Ermoupoli is both its capital and the administrative center of the wider Cyclades region. The agiasmos is a blessing ceremony traditionally held in Greek schools at the start of the academic year.
The allegation has raised concern about safety in one of Ermoupoli's busiest public spaces and has renewed attention on the issue of violence and bullying among minors. The full picture of the incident remains to be clarified pending any official investigation by the relevant authorities.
