Greek authorities have arrested two people in connection with the deadly arson attack on a Marfin bank branch in central Athens in 2010, one of the country’s most tragic and controversial protest-related incidents.
The operation, led by the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, is part of an ongoing investigation into the May 5, 2010 firebombing, which claimed the lives of three bank employees.
According to the available information, the two suspects were arrested under judicial warrants. A third suspect has also been charged, and an arrest warrant has been issued. Authorities are searching for a woman who reportedly lives abroad.
Investigators believe all three suspects are linked to the anarchist movement.
A tragedy during mass protests
The attack took place during large-scale demonstrations in Athens against the country’s first international bailout agreement. As protests and clashes unfolded across the capital, attackers threw Molotov cocktails and a bottle containing flammable liquid into a Marfin bank branch on Stadiou Street, where around 25 to 30 employees were working.
Most of those inside managed to escape, but three employees died from suffocation after inhaling dense smoke and toxic fumes.
Until now, the identities of those responsible for the attack had not been officially established.
Long-running legal proceedings
In 2013, bank executives were convicted of negligent homicide and failing to implement adequate fire safety measures and employee protection procedures.
The legal case remained active in the years that followed. In December 2024, proceedings concerning the bank’s responsibility were reopened after Greece’s Supreme Court ruled that the previous decision contained legal ambiguities and ordered a fresh review of whether sufficient safety measures had been in place.
The police operation remains ongoing, and authorities are expected to provide further updates as the investigation progresses.
