ATHENS – A Greek police officer said to be using social media platforms to urge people not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 – opposing a government operation to inoculate people – was suspended from his job.

He wasn't named in line with Greek privacy laws that keep identities secret even for serious crimes in most cases but Kathimerini said he was removed from duty after an inquiry over his postings.

That included a YouTube channel in which he allegedly used the pseudonym Telemachos to disguise who he was, the report saying he was trying to stir up resistance against the Eleftheria (Freedom) vaccination scheme.

He served at a police station in western Attica and the Hellenic Police (ELAS) said he was the subject of four investigations of using social media to spread anti-vaxxer discredited conspiracy theories.

The officer’s social media posts were presented to a prosecutor, after which an investigation was opened by the Internal Affairs division, the report said, the move coming as officials are looking into others using the same technique to spread false information about the Coronavirus pandemic.