Man stabs and wounds tourists near the Acropolis in Athens, Greece

ATHENS, Greece — A man stabbed and wounded two tourists Tuesday (July 21) morning near the ancient Acropolis in Athens, Greece's top tourist attraction, police said.

The assailant attacked a man and a woman, both Greek Americans, with a knife on a pedestrian street near an entrance to the Acropolis itself and near the entrance to the Acropolis Museum, which lies at the foot of the Acropolis hill. 

The woman suffered light injuries to the leg, while the man was more seriously hurt with wounds to the arm, police said.

The attacker was detained at the scene, while the two victims were transported to the hospital by ambulance, authorities said. The identity of the attacker was not immediately clear, but police said he appeared to have been suffering from psychological problems.

The attack did not lead to any closure to the sites, which continued operating as usual. Greek media reported that the assailant had allegedly been randomly threatening passers-by with a knife, and that police had been alerted by a member of the public.

Violent street attacks are rare in Greece. In April, authorities arrested an 89-year-old man who allegedly opened fire with a shotgun in a social security office and a courthouse in central Athens, wounding at least four people, reportedly over social security grievances.

The Acropolis hill in Athens hosts the nearly 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple as well as other monuments, and attracts millions of tourists. Last year, about 4.6 million people visited the site.

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