Supporters of Greece's governing New Democracy party were urged to mobilize on Thursday after a pre-dawn assault on Tuesday in the northern city of Thessaloniki resulted in the death of a candidate's mother and injuries to multiple people.
Attackers placed flaming gas canisters at the doors of three homes belonging to local figures associated with New Democracy, triggering explosions at each site. Vagia Nestora, 72, the mother of parliamentary candidate Afroditi Nestora, succumbed to organ failure after suffering burns that covered 80% of her body, according to a hospital statement. The candidate herself sustained burns, and three other people were wounded in the incidents.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks. Officials described the killing as the first time in more than a decade that a person has been killed in an attack aimed at Greek politicians. Greece has a long history of political violence, including bombings and arson, although lethal attacks on political figures became rare around two decades ago after leaders of certain militant groups were imprisoned.
Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis characterized the events as "an extreme coordinated murderous attack against three New Democracy officials in Thessaloniki." He called the assault a "cowardly act by extreme exponents of violence who operate under the guise of a so-called ideology against three people simply because they do not agree with their ideology." He added: "The message we are sending is clear: Terrorism will not win! No one will be afraid."
New Democracy and its youth branch, ONNED, announced a rally for Thursday evening outside the hospital where Vagia Nestora died. In a party statement they said: "We are not afraid of you," and that members stand "united against terrorism."
A police anti-terrorism unit has taken over the investigation into the three incidents. Police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou told Greek media that evidence indicates the attacks were probably coordinated. Authorities are reviewing video footage to determine whether the same group of perpetrators carried out all three assaults.
The investigation remains active and officials have not provided further details on motives or suspect identities. The lack of a claim of responsibility and the ongoing forensic and video review leave key questions unresolved about who planned and executed the attacks and whether further incidents might follow.
Context and immediate response
The events prompted an immediate public and political reaction, with New Democracy organizing a demonstration to honor the victim and protest political violence. Law enforcement has escalated the probe to an anti-terrorism unit and is pursuing leads, including surveillance footage, to establish whether the three explosions were carried out by the same actors.
The facts available at this stage are limited to official statements: the use of flaming gas canisters at three residences, the death of Vagia Nestora from extensive burns and organ failure, burns to the candidate and injuries to three other individuals, and the police assessment that the incidents are likely linked.