Two tourists stabbed near Acropolis in Athens
On Tuesday morning, two Greek American tourists were stabbed near the Acropolis, Greece's premier tourist destination. The attacker, armed with a knife, targeted both a man and a woman on a pedestrian street close to the entrance of the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. The woman sustained minor injuries to her leg, while the man suffered more severe wounds to his arm. Authorities apprehended the assailant at the scene, noting his apparent psychological issues. The victims were transported to a hospital via ambulance. Despite the incident, the Acropolis remained open and operational. Reports indicated that the attacker had been threatening bystanders with a knife, leading to a police alert. Violent incidents are uncommon in Greece; in April, an 89-year-old man allegedly shot four individuals in a social security office and courthouse in central Athens over grievances related to social security. The Acropolis, home to the nearly 2,500-year-old Parthenon and other historical sites, attracted around 4.6 million visitors last year.
Key facts
- Two Greek American tourists stabbed near Acropolis in Athens
- Attack occurred Tuesday morning on pedestrian street near Acropolis entrance and Acropolis Museum
- Woman suffered light leg injuries, man more seriously wounded in arm
- Attacker detained at scene, appeared to have psychological problems
- No site closures; Acropolis continued operating normally
- Assailant had been randomly threatening passers-by with knife, police alerted by public
- Violent street attacks rare in Greece; recent April shooting incident in Athens
- Acropolis attracts about 4.6 million visitors annually
Entities
Institutions
- Acropolis Museum
- Greek police
- Greek media
Locations
- Acropolis
- Athens
- Greece