ATHENS — An employee of the company managing the Athens metro (Stasy) was hospitalized on Wednesday after an attack by two young men who had earlier refused to wear protective masks from coronavirus infections.

Stasy condemned the attack and said in a statement that its employee, a station manager, asked the two on the Anthoupoli-to-Omonia train to wear their masks and take their feet off the seats.

After Stasy's employee disembarked at Omonia station, the two followed him at the train platform and beat him up, hitting and kicking him. The perpetrators fled and the man was taken to hospital by the emergency ambulance service (EKAV).

Greek police is looking for the perpetrators, while Stasy said it will "take all necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future against its employees." It also said it will take initiatives to make the public aware of respecting health measures and those at the front lines of mass transport.