A violent altercation on the Greek island of Paros made headlines after a taxi driver attacked a car rental company employee over a parking spot, with video footage of the incident quickly going viral. The dispute was triggered when the employee attempted to park a rental scooter in a space that taxi drivers claim is exclusively reserved for their vehicles.
The confrontation began when the two men exchanged heated insults before the taxi driver lunged at the employee, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him onto the scooter. Footage also shows the employee striking the taxi driver with a helmet he was holding. The fight was eventually broken up by bystanders who stepped in to separate the two men.
Following the incident, a criminal case was filed against the taxi driver on charges of grievous bodily harm, acting on the orders of the public prosecutor. The elderly victim was also officially referred for a forensic medical examination, the results of which will be attached to the case file to document the severity of his injuries. The case will subsequently be forwarded to the prosecutor, who will press charges and set a court date.
Paros: The viral video and criminal charges against the taxi driver who assaulted an elderly man
Meanwhile, the Board of Directors of the Paros Taxi Association issued an official statement expressing its unequivocal opposition to all forms of violence, regardless of their origin. However, the association noted that the video circulating online captures only part of what actually happened. “The significantly heightened professional pressure and heavy workload during the summer season is a reality that industry professionals face every day. Under no circumstances, however, can these be used as an excuse or justification for acts of violence or inappropriate behavior,” the statement read.
Full statement from the Board of Directors of the Paros Taxi Association:
The Paros Taxi Association expresses its unequivocal and categorical opposition to all forms of violence, regardless of their origin and irrespective of the circumstances under which they occur. In light of the recent incident in Naoussa, Paros, in which a taxi driver attacked an elderly man, the Board of Directors makes clear that such behavior does not represent or reflect the standards of professional taxi drivers on the island. The significantly heightened professional pressure and heavy workload during the summer season is a reality that industry professionals face on a daily basis. Under no circumstances, however, can these serve as an excuse, justification, or alibi for acts of violence or inappropriate conduct.
The Board of Directors condemns this specific incident and, on behalf of our former colleague, extends a sincere apology to the elderly victim, his family, and the local community for this unacceptable behavior.
At the same time, we feel it is important to note that the video circulating on social media captures only a portion of the incident and does not show what transpired before tensions escalated. Based on the information and details that have come to light, there were events prior to the start of the recording that contributed to the escalation of the confrontation, and these must be taken into account in order to have a complete and objective picture of what occurred. This observation is in no way intended to justify, condone, or excuse the violent behavior that followed.
The Paros Taxi Association remains committed to the principles of professionalism, respect, and dignified conduct toward every resident and visitor to the island.
The Board of Directors of the Paros Taxi Association
The taxi driver’s side of the story
The taxi driver at the center of the incident — who was subsequently dismissed from his position — has given his own account of what happened with the car rental company employee on Paros.
The taxi driver maintains that he was not the one who struck first, claiming that the employee verbally abused him, shouted at him, and then hit him with the helmet he was carrying. “He was swearing, shouting, and he hit me with the helmet he was holding,” he said in an interview with Alpha TV.
When asked whether the other man had attacked him first, he replied: “Well, of course — do you think I went to attack him first? I didn’t want this, especially given the position I’m in. I’m there every single day, you know?”
What he says about the taxi rank
According to the taxi driver, the incident was the culmination of ongoing tensions over the use of the taxi rank area in the preceding weeks.
He claims that the designated spot is restricted to taxis, police vehicles, and ambulances only. He alleges, however, that the employee of the nearby car rental company had repeatedly been using the space for the company’s vehicles and customer drop-offs.
“That is a taxi rank, as you may have gathered, and only a police vehicle, an ambulance, or a taxi is allowed to enter. Nothing else,” he stated.
He further claimed that the employee had been regularly parking rental scooters in the area and directing customers to return hired vehicles there, causing ongoing problems for taxis trying to use the rank.
The taxi driver also said that the presence of non-taxi vehicles in the spot led other tourists to assume they too could park there.
He described the employee as “very argumentative” and “very provocative,” saying that problems had arisen in the past whenever other drivers had tried to address the issue with him calmly: “Anyone who has gone up to him and spoken to him politely — he’s very quarrelsome, very provocative, and always causes trouble.”
The taxi driver expressed regret over the images that were captured, acknowledging that the incident had cast a negative light on both Paros and the taxi profession as a whole.
“Of course I’m sorry this happened. It’s a very bad image for the island, for taxi drivers, and for everything it represents. This incident is not something to be proud of,” he said.
“I certainly did not want to get into a physical fight with an elderly man. Of course I regret it — but I want you to know that he attacked me first, both verbally and physically, hitting me with the helmet he was carrying. He hit me first and pushed me to that point,” he added.
