Hooligans beat up a family of tourists in Heraklion, Crete

A group of young locals attacked a family of tourists at a bar in Heraklion, Crete, on Monday evening. The father of the family was hospitalized with head and facial injuries.

A 49-year-old Greek-Canadian from Anogia, his 41-year-old Icelandic wife, their two sons aged 21 and 18 and their 14-year-old daughter were attacked and brutally beaten by a group of locals as they left a bar.

The victims complained that they were suddenly and without warning attacked by a group of young men from the Mylopotamos area, according to local media cretalive.gr, As the family was leaving the bar, one of the locals supposedly “accidentally” pressed the cigarette to his father's back. The father turned to the young man with the cigarette and advised him to watch his movements. “in good taste”as family members noted.

“It looks like that was the 'spark'”which caused the hooligans to act, and they began to violently beat with their fists and feet not only the father and son, but also the woman and the girl who tried to stop them.”– reports cretalive.gr.

The man and one of his two sons were injured and fell to the ground bleeding.

Ambulances took them to a local hospital, and the attackers fled the scene as soon as they saw the blood-soaked victims on the sidewalk. The father of the family remains hospitalized on Friday, his life is not in danger, but he will need surgery and a longer hospital stay.

Police immediately launched an investigation, primarily examining surveillance footage from the area. Two of the four attackers were identified by the victims from photographs shown to them by authorities. One was a 31-year-old resident of Zonana, the other a 32-year-old resident of Gazi. The two attackers, as well as two others who have not yet been identified, are on the run.

Police are convinced it is only a matter of time before they are arrested. On Wednesday, Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni contacted the hospital director to inquire about the injured man's health and expressed her concerns, which should be passed on to the family. The family, who have strong ties to the island, say they visit Crete at least twice a year.

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