Paros: 'He attacked me first, hit me with the helmet' - Taxi driver's account of employee assault

A taxi driver on the Greek island of Paros has offered his account of an altercation with a car rental employee, asserting that he was the one attacked first. The driver, who was subsequently fired following the incident's publicization, claims the confrontation began with intense verbal abuse from the rental employee. He stated the employee insulted him, shouted, and then struck him with a helmet he was holding. "He was insulting, shouting, and hit me with the helmet he was holding," the driver recounted. When asked if the employee initiated the physical assault, the driver responded affirmatively, questioning why he would attack first. The driver explained that the dispute stemmed from ongoing tension over the use of the taxi stand area, which he believes should be exclusively for taxis, police vehicles, and ambulances. He alleged that the rental employee frequently parked company vehicles and customer cars in the taxi zone, causing problems for professional drivers. This practice, he added, also led other visitors to believe they could park there. Describing the employee as "very quarrelsome" and "very provocative," the driver noted that similar tensions had occurred previously. He admitted the images from the incident were unpleasant and expressed regret for the situation, acknowledging the negative impression it created for the island and its professionals. "Of course, I regret that the event happened. It's a very bad image for the island, for the taxis, and for everyone," he said. He reiterated that he did not wish to fight an older man and regretted his actions but insisted he was attacked first, both verbally and physically.

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He was insulting, shouting, and hit me with the helmet he was holding.