Arson attack on residential building in Thessaloniki: Mother of ND politician killed

In the attack, the politician's mother died from severe burns. This was confirmed by the hospital where the injured were treated. In addition to the mother, five people were injured according to police, including Nestora herself, her father and two other residents of the building.

Targets of the attack series

Afroditi Nestora is a former candidate of the conservative party Nea Dimokratia and is politically active at the local level. Other targets of the attack series also belonged to the ranks of the governing party: the district association chairman Sisis Ioakimovic and the former member of parliament Savvas Anastasiades were attacked according to the same findings.

According to the Athens newspaper Kathimerini and the Greek public broadcaster ERTnews, investigators from the anti-terror unit were analyzing video footage to identify the perpetrators. Surveillance cameras reportedly showed two suspects arriving on a motorcycle and placing the incendiary devices. A third person on a motorcycle reportedly acted as a lookout.

Investigations and search for clues

At least three people are believed to have been involved in carrying out the attacks. Investigators assume that the same perpetrators are behind the entire attack series. The police initially did not provide any information on the authorship or motive. The authorities did not rule out that the acts were carried out by the autonomous left-wing extremist or anarchist spectrum.

In Greece, politicians, public institutions, police stations, banks and businesses have been targets of militant groups for decades. Although most former terrorist organizations have been dismantled, groups from the autonomous spectrum regularly carry out arson and bombing attacks according to the situation report. Homemade explosive devices are frequently used.

Political reactions

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Nestora's party colleague in Nea Dimokratia, reacted with sharp condemnation. He spoke of a "feigen, terroristischen und mörderischen Anschlag" and announced that he would travel to Thessaloniki to stand by those affected. His trip was to "eine absolut klare und unmissverständliche Botschaft senden: null Toleranz gegenüber jeder neuen Form des Terrorismus, die in unserem Land auftreten könnte".

After news of the mother's death became known, Mitsotakis sharpened his tone. The incident "bestätigt den mörderischen und unmenschlichen Charakter der blinden Gewalt, die im öffentlichen Leben existiert". The prime minister also declared that the state would do everything to identify and hold those responsible accountable: "Keine Toleranz gegenüber Blutvergießen und dem spaltenden Extremismus".

Parties from the left-wing opposition also condemned the attacks. The condemnation of violence thus found a cross-party echo. Observers assessed the death of the mother as an escalation of a months-long wave of politically motivated violence in the Mediterranean country, which has been repeatedly shaken by terrorist and politically motivated violence in the past.

Background: Political violence in Greece

The APA report dates the article to July 2, 2026. The day after, the investigations were ongoing. The analysis of the video material by the anti-terror unit was expected to yield further findings on the identity of the perpetrators according to ERTnews.

The parallel attacks on the residential buildings of Ioakimovic and Anastasiades proceeded without fatalities according to previous findings. The total number of injured across all crime scenes was not conclusively quantified in the available reports. The facts show that five people were injured in the attack on Nestora's residential building according to police; another source speaks of four additional injured.

At the European level, the violence in Thessaloniki attracted attention. Diplomats and government representatives from several member states of the European Union condemned the deadly attack. The Greek government announced that it would temporarily intensify security measures for elected officials and public institutions in Thessaloniki.

Consequences and outlook

Domestically, the Mitsotakis government is under pressure to get the security situation under control. Opposition politicians accused the government of having underestimated warnings about left-wing extremist structures in the port city for too long. The government rejected the criticism and referred to the ongoing investigations by the anti-terror unit.

At the local level, the city administration of Thessaloniki announced mourning flags at public buildings. Citizens laid flowers at the crime scene. Local media reported spontaneous candlelight vigils in front of the burned-out residential building. Clergy of various denominations called for peace and restraint.

According to police, the investigations are focusing on the evaluation of surveillance cameras from the vicinity of the crime scenes as well as on the examination of the secured butane gas canister fragments. Forensic reports are to provide information on the exact construction of the improvised explosive devices. Results were initially not made public.

The Greek judiciary initiated formal proceedings for murder, attempted murder and membership in a terrorist organization. Should the anti-terror unit identify suspects, an arrest warrant from the responsible investigating judge at the Athens Court of Appeals would be required, as judicial circles explained.