Education Ministry to probe school attack

The Education Ministry is launching an inquiry into a downtown Athens school where a student and the principal were attacked on Tuesday by the brother of another pupil, state broadcaster ERT has reported.

The 17-year-old student and the school official were treated for injuries after a young man, aged 19, barged into the school grounds and attacked the pupil with a hammer. He went on to stab the principal with a knife when he tried to stop the initial attack. The incident took place in the district of Kypseli and not Patissia, as initially reported.

According to state broadcaster ERT, the ministry’s inquiry will not just focus on this specific incident, but will also address complaints of bullying and other violent behavior at the particular school.

Pupils who spoke to ERT after Tuesday’s incident said that fights are frequent and that a recent incident had involved the 17-year-old boy and the brother of his attacker.

The 19-year-old reportedly confirmed that he went to the school with the intent of getting even on his brother’s behalf.