Knife attacker injures two tourists at Acropolis entrance

A man with a knife attacked a Greek-American couple at the base of the Acropolis shortly after the site opened on Tuesday, 21 July, Athens police said. Police said the attack happened at about 8:05 am local time, five minutes after the gates opened to the Parthenon temple.

The 48-year-old woman suffered minor hand injuries, while the 53-year-old man had more serious injuries to his leg. Both were taken to hospital and were not in danger, according to the Greek news agency ANA.

Police arrested the attacker. Greek media reported that he is in his sixties and has mental health issues. News247 reported that Greek courts had ordered him to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital several times.

The source described the attack as extremely rare at the Acropolis, one of Europe’s most visited tourist sites. It said the Parthenon receives an average of 17,000 visitors a day at its summer peak.