ATHENS – Ahead of Greece putting security guards on university grounds, a professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business was assaulted by five unidentified assailants in an auditorium as he was giving a lecture.

The group attacked him and students who tried to break it up, said witnesses, reported Kathimerini, adding that it wasn’t believed to be politically motivated as other media reports said he linked to an investigation about sex crimes involving minors. He was not identified.

Citizen Protection Ministry sources not named told the paper that the professor believes that the attack was planned by three other academics with whom he has been feuding, but no reason was given in explanation.

A prosectuor has ordered a preliminary investigation into the assault but other reports said the police were not despite a professor being attacked within a university.

The school has been notorious for crime and violence and drug dealing, a reason why the New Democracy government – which ended asylum on college campuses – moved to improve security. 

School President Dimitris Bourantonis told reporters that he was told of the attack and that the hooded men went after the professor and began beating and kicking him.”