Hydriots Protest Tax-Evasion Arrest
Residents on the island of Hydra revolted against the financial police on Friday, when a prominent taverna owner’s son was arrested for tax evasion.
Protesters surrounded the police station, and officials were forced to call in riot police in order to complete their inspections, as reported in Ta Nea. The conflict climaxed when some Hydriots stormed the Flying Dolphin that provides transport to the island and fought with crew members, delaying the departure of the boat for three hours.
The controversy was sparked when the economic police began conducting their routine inspections in touristic areas of Hydra. One of the inspectors went to investigate a seafood taverna, only to find that several tables had not been given VAT receipts, as is lawfully required.
The inspector asked the 55-year-old owner of the taverna to accompany him to the police station, whereby she fainted, and professing health problems, asked to be taken to the hospital, where she was guarded to prevent escape. Meanwhile a case was prepared against the women, and the police arrested her 25-year-old son, who worked in the business, instead.