Greek authorities have arrested two people in connection with the deadly 2010 arson attack on a Marfin Egnatia Bank branch in central Athens, marking a major development in one of the country’s most notorious unresolved criminal cases. The suspects were detained in the Athens districts of Kypseli and Chalandri under warrants issued as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are also seeking a 46-year-old woman who reportedly lives permanently in the United Kingdom. An international arrest warrant has been issued for her, and British authorities have been notified. The woman left Greece approximately six years ago and has since settled in the UK. Greek authorities are now awaiting action from their British counterparts.
All three face allegations related to the case, but none has been convicted in connection with the attack.
Deadly attack during protests
The attack occurred on May 5, 2010, during a nationwide general strike and mass demonstrations against austerity measures associated with Greece’s first international bailout agreement.
As protesters clashed with police in central Athens, a group of attackers targeted the Marfin Egnatia Bank branch on Stadiou Street. They threw Molotov cocktails and a container filled with flammable liquid into the building while approximately 25 to 30 employees were inside. The flames spread rapidly, filling the branch with dense smoke and toxic fumes.
Most of the employees managed to escape, while firefighters rescued five others. Three workers, however, became trapped and died from asphyxiation after inhaling smoke and toxic gases. The victims were 32-year-old Angeliki Papathanassopoulou, who was four months pregnant; 36-year-old Epameinondas Tsakalis; and 35-year-old Paraskevi Zoulia.
Their deaths shocked Greece and turned the attack into an enduring symbol of the violence that accompanied the country’s financial crisis and the anti-austerity protests of that period. The tragedy also prompted intense public debate over the actions of the attackers, safety conditions inside the bank, and the decision to keep the branch open during a general strike and a major demonstration nearby.
Marfin arson case remained unresolved for years
Despite repeated investigations, witness testimony, and court proceedings, the people who carried out the fatal attack had not been conclusively identified. A man who was previously prosecuted in connection with the firebombing was acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence of his involvement.
Separate proceedings focused on safety failures at the bank. Bank officials were convicted over shortcomings in fire-prevention measures, staff training, and emergency preparedness, rather than for any role in the attack itself. Investigators later reopened the criminal case and reviewed evidence and witness statements as well as other material gathered in the years after the fire.
The latest arrests constitute a significant development in the effort to identify those allegedly responsible. The investigation remains active as Greek authorities seek the third suspect with the cooperation of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom.