Three Explosions in Greek City Target Ruling New Democracy Party
The mother of Greek politician Afroditi Nestora died in one of three fire-bombing attacks directed at the New Democracy party on 1 July. Nestora, who is running for a seat in parliament, and her father were also injured in the attack, which occurred in Thessaloniki, Greece.
No one was injured in the other two attacks.
Authorities said explosive devices consisting of gas canisters connected to containers of flammable liquid were planted at the residences related to other members of the New Democracy party. All three devices exploded around 4:30 a.m. EEST.
“In Greece, such devices have often been used by anarchist or far-left armed groups, typically in low-intensity attacks meant to send a symbolic message, according to the authorities,” The New York Times reported.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and New Democracy party leadercondemned the attacks.
“The blood spilled and division sown by the extremes will no longer be tolerated,” Mitsotakis said in a written statement. “The legitimacy of the State and the unity of society must now cast terrorism to where it belongs: the margins!”
Multiple news outlets noted that Greece has a long history of politically motivated attacks. A year ago, a bomb exploded outside the home of the president of Greece’s association of prison guards, and a year before that, a fire-bomb attack was directed at judge in Athens.
However, Reuters reported that the 1 July attack was the first to cause a fatality in more than a decade: “Greece has a decades-long history of political violence, including bombings and arson attacks, but assassinations became rare 20 years ago after leaders of left-wing militant groups were jailed.”
Reuters also reported that the youth branch of the New Democracy party called for a rally to protest the attack to take place outside the hospital where Nestora’s mother died.
Authorities have determined that the attacks were likely perpetrated by the same people or were coordinated. They are conducting an investigation and reviewing surveillance footage, but no leads have been reported in the media as of publication time.
