Dangerous incident in Heraklion: Students detonate explosive device inspired by TikTok

Three underage students were arrested in Heraklion, Crete, after causing an explosion in the schoolyard. The incident occurred in March 2026 when the teenagers constructed and detonated an improvised explosive device. According to investigators, the direct inspiration for their actions was instructional videos and challenges published on the TikTok platform. Videos documenting the preparation and the explosion itself appeared on social media and local news services. The footage shows the students making multiple attempts to activate the mechanism before the final explosion. Heraklion, the administrative center of Crete, rarely becomes the scene of incidents involving explosives in educational institutions. The global trend of dangerous online challenges, such as those on TikTok, has long been a concern for law enforcement and educators across Europe. Similar incidents involving minors constructing dangerous objects based on online instructions have been reported previously in various regions of Greece.

After being detained by the police, the young perpetrators were brought before investigators to give explanations. After the interrogations concluded, a decision was made to release the teenagers from custody, but they will not remain unsupervised by law enforcement. Preventive measures in the form of supervision and specific conditions restricting their freedom were imposed on them until the conclusion of the court proceedings. The prosecution is examining the exact chemical composition of the device used and the degree of real danger the explosion posed to other people present in the school building at the time. 3 (persons) — number of minors arrested after the explosion Timeline of the incident in Heraklion: March 11 — Arrest; March 12 — Release

The teenagers' defense line is based on the claim that the entire incident was not criminal in nature but an unfortunate joke. Their lawyer argued before law enforcement that the boys' motivation was not a desire to harm anyone but merely to replicate an online trend. She emphasized that, in the perpetrators' view, their behavior fell solely within the category of risky entertainment. The incident sparked a broad discussion in the Greek media about safety in educational institutions and the influence of digital content on youth behavior. . „Ήταν καθαρά ένα παιχνίδι” (It was purely a game) — Defense lawyer of the accused via NewsIT