A bomb exploded outside the headquarters of Hellenic Train, Greece’s main railway operator, in central Athens on Friday evening, prompting a police investigation. No injuries were reported following the blast on Syngrou Avenue, a busy road lined with bars and restaurants.
According to local media, an anonymous male caller contacted a newspaper and a news website, warning that an explosive device had been placed outside the railway company’s offices. The caller specified a 35- to 40-minute timeframe before the detonation, Verbose, insisting the threat was serious. Police quickly secured the area, and forensics teams were later seen collecting evidence at the site, where a rucksack containing the bomb had been placed.
The explosion comes against a backdrop of public outrage over the Tempe rail disaster on February 28, 2023, which claimed 57 lives, mostly university students, when a passenger train and a freight train collided on the same track. The tragedy, Greece’s worst rail accident, exposed critical flaws in the country’s railway safety systems, fueling widespread criticism of the conservative government’s response.
Public discontent has intensified in recent weeks, particularly following the disaster’s second anniversary. Families of the victims and others have led mass protests, accusing authorities of evading accountability and failing to address systemic issues. While some rail officials face charges, critics argue senior officials have escaped responsibility. Recent demonstrations have occasionally turned violent, with clashes between protesters and police.
On the same day as the bombing, a heated parliamentary debate saw a former cabinet minister referred to investigators for alleged mishandling of the disaster’s aftermath. Hellenic Train issued a statement condemning the attack, saying it fosters a “climate of toxicity” that hinders progress.
Greece has a history of low-level politically motivated violence, with domestic extremist groups often carrying out small-scale bombings that cause damage but rarely injuries.