Athens is currently engulfed in flames after riots turned ugly as mobs clashed with police overnight in violent scenes
Chaotic scenes in Athens as mob attack police with Molotovs
A favourite holiday spot for Brits has been set on fire after rioters threw petrol bombs and clashed with police in ugly scenes. Shocking footage from Athens showed riots breaking out just after midnight as mobs clashed with cops. Around 50 people launched petrol bombs and fireworks at officers outside a police station in Exarchia and 21 cars were tourched. Houses and shops were also set on fire as horrified residents watched on.
The riots come after a bomb planted near the offices of Hellenic Train, Greece’s main railway company, exploded Friday night in a busy district of central Athens. There were no reports of injuries. The explosion happened amid widespread public anger over a 2023 railway disaster, Greece’s worst, in which 57 people were killed and dozens more injured when a freight train and a passenger train heading in opposite directions were accidentally put on the same track.
In a statement, Hellenic Train said the explosion had occurred “very close to its central offices” and said the blast had caused limited damage and no injuries to any employees or passers-by.
Police cordoned off the site along a major avenue in the Greek capital, keeping residents and tourists away from the building in an area with several bars and restaurants. Officers at the scene said a bag containing an explosive device had been placed near the Hellenic Train building on Syngrou Avenue.