Lyggeridis murder: They were caught sleeping – Simultaneous raid on dozens of houses at 05:30 in the morning

The developments in the murder of the MAT police officer, Giorgos Lyggeridis by a naval flare during the incidents in Rentis, are dramatic. Four months after the incidents outside the “Melina Merkouri” stadium in Rentis, the authorities gathered the necessary evidence to proceed with other arrests of people who were involved in the incidents of December 7.

According to exclusive information from “Zouglas”, the operation of the Greek Police, which is still ongoing, took place simultaneously at 05:30 in the morning with a raid on dozens of houses of those involved throughout Athens.

During the operation, in the presence of a prosecutor – which means that warrants had been issued – searches were carried out in all the residences and various objects were seized, mainly electronic computers.

So far, no one knows how many people have been brought in and who they are, while according to information from “Jungle”, the charge they are facing, among others, is “foundation of a criminal organization”.

Also, speaking to “Zougla”, an operational officer of EL.AS who has knowledge of the investigations, said that the case file for the murder of Giorgos Lyggeridis has been divided into three parts. The first concerns the already arrested young people, the second concerns the moral perpetrators of the murderous attack and the third has as its object of investigation the financiers of the hooligans.

According to the announcement of EL.AS. “since the early hours of the morning today, a large-scale operation of the Sub-Directorate for Combating Violence in Sports Venues of the Attica Security Directorate has been in full progress for the arrest of people involved in the incident of the fatal injury of a police officer on 7/12/2023 at a sports event in Rentis. So far, dozens of people have been brought in, as well as a large number of searches in homes and vehicles, while various items of evidence have been seized. A newer update will follow.”

What “Jungle” wrote early in the morning

As “Zougla” wrote on Monday morning, four months after the incidents outside the “Melina Merkouri” stadium in Rentis, the authorities gathered the necessary evidence to proceed with other arrests of people who were involved in the incidents of December 7.

So far, at least 50 arrests have been made following the issuance of warrants. However, not all of them concern the murderous attack on the policeman but various fan incidents.

The aim of the sports violence sub-directorate was to identify the moral perpetrators in the case, as it is recalled that an 18-year-old man has already been arrested and remanded in custody for the murder of the MAT police officer. He had admitted that he had thrown a flare in the direction of the policeman. Official announcements from the authorities are expected within the day.

According to the police report, the case file includes more than 150 defendants.

How was the killing with the naval flare in Rentis

It was December 7 when a volleyball match was underway at the indoor “Melina Merkouris” between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos. During the second set the Greens were leading 17-10, when in the stands there was intense agitation and concern due to the strong smell of tear gas as hooligans clashed with the police outside the stadium.

According to ELAS, that’s when 150 people attacked MAT men who were outside the stadium, with Molotov cocktails and flares. As a result, the naval flare hit the 31-year-old police officer in the thigh and seriously injured him.

Giorgos Lyggeridis arrived at the hospital in hemodynamic shock, he had an explosive wound in the femoral artery, which means that he had lost a lot of blood and immediately the doctors put him in the operating room.

They gave him blood to bring him back from hemodynamic shock, they removed a 5x2x2 metal ball from his leg, they tried to operate on him and the young man suffered a seizure. They then tried to resuscitate him as they did and the surgery continued while he was intubated all over again and given oxygen.

The doctors decided that the left leg should be amputated and proceeded with the operation. However, he was brain dead and despite the reduced doses of sedatives he had been taking for the last few days, his body was not responding. The policeman, after 20 days of hospitalization, suffered a cardiac arrest and died on Wednesday, December 27.

After investigations by ELAS, an 18-year-old man was arrested against whom, after the death of the policeman, criminal proceedings were brought for manslaughter.