What was billed as a Halloween horror experience, combining escape-room challenges, costumed performers and scenes inspired by horror films, allegedly turned into a real-life nightmare for participants in central Athens, with reports of beatings, bites and injuries during a treasure hunt held in the Gazi district.

The Halloween Hunt, designed as an immersive game in which teams navigated challenges while being pursued by horror characters, reportedly descended into violence, according to accounts by participants and eyewitnesses broadcast by Greek television. Videos circulating online show performers dressed in bloodied costumes chasing people through the streets, some carrying chainsaws, alarming passersby, including young children.

Participants alleged that performers struck them with chains, clubs, belts and whips, while others reported being bitten, sustaining bruises and suffering bleeding injuries.

One eyewitness described seeing a masked performer bite a participant and another repeatedly strike a woman with a club, causing her to cry. When a friend intervened and asked the performer to stop, the latter allegedly confronted him aggressively.

Another participant said performers continued hitting people even after they complained of pain.

“They were hitting us with whatever they had in their hands. We told them it hurt, but they continued even harder,” she said.

Other accounts described participants being struck with chains and belts, with some allegedly unable to escape. One participant said a member of his team was hit twice in the back with a chain and grabbed by the neck during an incident.

Witnesses also reported seeing people crying, bleeding and leaving the event with bruises. One woman said she was bitten on the shoulder, while another account described participants being pulled around during a struggle beneath a table.

Questions have also been raised about the event’s safety arrangements, including the alleged absence of medical personnel on standby. Participants further reported incidents of alleged sexual harassment, which have yet to be independently established.

Zombie performer apologizes

An actor who portrayed a zombie at the event issued a public apology, acknowledging that he may have bitten some participants harder than intended.

“I want to publicly apologize. I was the actor playing the zombie. Under no circumstances did I want anyone to get injured in the adrenaline of the event. That does not justify it. I may have bitten a little too hard,” he said, adding that he felt bad about what had happened.

Questions over safety rules and responsibility

The event’s participation rules have also come under scrutiny. Organizers reportedly informed players that the game involved running, physical contact and occasional verbal aggression. However, while participants were explicitly prohibited from touching performers, the rules allegedly did not clearly define the limits of physical contact initiated by actors.

An owner of the Escape All escape-room business said his company had participated exclusively as a communications sponsor and had no involvement in organizing the event. He condemned what he described as extreme individual incidents and said several volunteers had reportedly been involved.

An actor who took part in the game, meanwhile, said performers had not been instructed to hit participants or passersby. Their brief was to approach teams solving puzzles and engage in limited role-playing appropriate to a horror-themed experience.

The allegations are expected to be investigated. The incident has raised questions about supervision, safety standards and accountability at immersive entertainment events, particularly those involving physical interaction between performers and participants.