Due to his political activity, he was chased by the Axis forces, Greek state and National Liberation Front (Greece).

In 1931, while on the front line of a demonstration of the unemployed, in Syntrivani Square in Thessaloniki, he was attacked by a group of policemen, led by the nephew of the Head of the Police; he was shot in the cheek, and the bullet cut his tongue.

[3] In Dekemvriana he accused the forces of the National Liberation Front of carrying out a Stalinist coup d etat.

[4] His book "Memories of a life in the revolutionary movement",[2] which was published in March 2003, contains transcripts of recorded self-biographic tellings, including references to historical and political events of the last century.

[5] Yannis Tamtakos was one of the main characters in the movie "Coursal", directed by Nikos Theodossiou.