Conservative main opposition New Democracy (ND) party lawmaker Vasilis Economou, aged 47, was attacked late on Tuesday night by a dozen of hooded attackers while dining at the bistro bar Zahari & Alati (Sugar & Salt) at Valtetsiou Street, in Exarchia, an area that is an anarchist center. The parliamentary deputy for the right-wing party was hit in the head after a gang wearing hoods entered the restaurant.

The parliamentarian’s office is a short walk from the bistro and he was there with another two friends for ten minutes before being beaten in what he calls an “organized” attack. No arrests had been made as police continue to search for the suspects.

The MP didn’t have time to react. He was asked if he was Economou, and when he responded affirmatively they just started kicking and bashing him. They said, “Never set foot here again. Exarchia is no place for MPs.”

Parliamentary Speaker Nikos Voutsis condemned the attack and telephoned Economou to offer support while he was still at the Red Cross hospital following the beating.

In April, former finance minsiter Yanis Varoufakis of the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government was accosted by attackers, but not beaten, at the same place while he was still in office.