The pedestrian was taken to hospital (Picture: YouTube/Corfu TV News)
The centuries-old tradition on the Greek island of Corfu is always a smash among the locals – literally.
Corfiots mark Holy Saturday with a custom called ‘botides’ where people lob large clay jugs filled with water from their balconies.
As the jugs shatter on the street, thousands of islanders and tourists watch, cheer and, of course, get splashed by the water.
But a woman found herself with a sore head on Sunday after one of the botides was lobbed from the window of Town Hall and landed on her.
Indeed, it wasn’t just a random resident who chucked the pot, but deputy mayor Spyros deputy mayor Spyros Halikiopoulo, according to Corfu TV News.
Video shows Halikiopoulo pushing the large jug off the balcony without realising that two people are walking along the pavement at about 11am.
With the pieces of the broken jug scattered across the floor, the crowd can be heard screaming while spectators rush to the two women’s aid.
One of the women was taken to hospital as a precaution, with Halikiopoulo not long behind her out of concern.
Halikiopoulos said that injuries from the tradition are few and far between.
‘Although the deputy mayors had taken all the necessary precautions, checking the area in front of the window where they were standing, at the moment the boot fell, two young women drove by at high speed, as a result of which one of them was hit on the head and shoulder,’ the statement from his office said.
The statement continued: ‘This is a rare occurrence, as although during the custom thousands of boots fall (and often from a great height), injuries are rare as everyone pays close attention and thus enjoys the unique moment.
‘On the occasion of the incident, the Deputy Mayor of Sustainable Tourism Development, addressing the public, assures the safety of the custom, but calls everyone’s attention to avoid even these very rare incidents.’
No one knows for sure where the botides tradition originated from, but it’s generally agreed Venetians who ruled Corfu between the 14th and 18th centuries played a part.
The Venetians would take the saying ‘new year, new me’ pretty literally by celebrating the new year by throwing their old belongings out the window.
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