Nine international students from the United Kingdom and the European Union will be deported from Greece, according to announcements made by the country's authorities, on grounds of disrupting public order.

The action comes after twelve foreign students at the Athens Law School demonstrated in the streets in support of Palestinian citizens.

About twenty-eight protestors were taken into custody; the primary charges were public order disruption, property destruction, trespassing, and possession of firearms or flares. Of the 28 people who were detained, nine were labelled as "unwanted aliens" because they posed a risk to national security.

Deportations Perceived as “Excessive Punishment”

The arrested students told Al Jazeera that the decision was excessive punishment and they criticised the Greek government for their detention.

Their legal representatives plan to take the matter to the court, accusing the authorities of contending the right of free movement for the detainees. The nine foreign nationals risking deportation currently remain held at the Amygdaleza detention facility.

Greek Prime Minister, Kryiakos Mitsotakis previously showed his determination against university protests over Gaza War in 2024. Back in 2019, the Mitsotakis administration revoked a law that prohibited security forces from entering higher education institutions, following the violent military intervention that happened in 1973. Several European countries are supporting Israel in this war.

Germany Publicly Supports Israel

Germany decided earlier this year to allow visa-free entry to Israeli nationals, following the Hamas attacks.

Prior to this announcement, Germany permitted all Israeli nationals already present in the country in the country between January and April, without requiring them to apply for a residence permit.

To further enforce the responsibility that Germany has to the Jewish community and Israel, the government has included a total of 12 questions on Judaism and Isreal on the new citizenship test, requiring all candidates to be informed about the religion as well as the community in order to obtain German citizenship.

The questions included in the test are related to the relations between Germany and Israel, the state of Israel as well as the Jewish history.

“War in Gaza Likely to Continue Until End of the Year”

An Israeli official has warned that the war is likely to last until the end of the year, indicating that the war will not stop even after occupying Rafah, the last free region in Palestine.

According to Save the Children, at least 66 people have been killed across Gaza in four days alone, while until May 21, 2024, it is estimated that 37,000 people have been killed, 35,562 Palestinians compared to 1,478 Israelis.