A woman walks past damaged cars and a building after attackers firebombed three residential buildings linked to the governing New Democracy party in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece, July 1, 2026. [Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters]
A hard core of anarchists had already engaged in arson attacks in the city of Thessaloniki in 2025, a year before last Wednesday’s attack that resulted in one fatality and four injuries.
Their targets were officials, including lawmakers, of the ruling New Democracy party, as well as prison guards, the latter seen as a gesture of solidarity to already imprisoned “comrades.”
Police officers in northern Greece have created profiles of those active in Thessaloniki anarchist circles; they have zeroed in on about 30 individuals active in occupying empty city buildings or rooms in the city’s Aristotle University.
Police believe that the same people are involved in last week’s three arson attacks on the homes of as many people linked to New Democracy, but their more likely role was as advisors to new, younger recruits, pointing out the targets to be hit, in order to be shielded from police scrutiny.
