Thessaloniki: Four rallies amid TIF

On the afternoon of Saturday 5 September 2026, while the prime minister delivered his speech at the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, the city centre became the focal point of four separate rallies. At 5:00 p.m., a farmers’ rally took place at the White Tower, organised by the Panhellenic Committee of Roadblocks; it was, according to reports, the first time farmers held a rally during the fair. Half an hour later, at 5:30 p.m., PAME held a rally at HANTH square, while at 6:00 p.m. GSEE and ADEDY gathered at Aristotle square, near the Venizelos statue and the Ancient Agora, with a parallel rally by the extra-parliamentary left at Kamara at the same time. A total of 17 tractors came to the centre, fewer than the 20-30 originally planned in consultation with police, which departed after taking part in the rally. According to police estimates, about 10,000 people gathered at HANTH square, about 3,000 at the Ancient Agora and about 700 at Kamara.

Police deployed more than 3,500 officers and about 60 riot police platoons around the historic city centre, using drones to monitor the gatherings and implementing preventive checks at access points to the area. Two prosecutors remained present throughout the rallies. Eight metro stations, from the New Railway Station to Euclid, were closed for security reasons. In the course of inspections, six people were arrested on charges relating to drugs and weapons, while a further 12 were brought in for questioning. The marches and rallies proceeded without serious incidents, according to reports received by Saturday evening.

The rallies coincided with the prime minister’s speech at the fair, an event that traditionally prompts union and farming grievances. The unions are seeking wage increases and daily-wage hikes through collective labour agreements, as well as the restoration of the 13th and 14th month’s pay. According to demands made by GSEE and ADEDY, they are also seeking intervention on working hours and tackling high prices, as well as measures on housing and energy costs. The farming rally, for its part, represented an unprecedented development at the fair, as it is the first time a farmers’ rally has taken place alongside the exhibition. More on political developments around the fair can be read in the politics section of the network.

By Saturday evening, it had not been confirmed whether all the marches ultimately reached the South Gate of the exhibition centre, nor was there independent verification of turnout beyond police estimates. These details are expected to be clarified in the coming hours, along with any further announcements from organisers regarding continued rallies. The 90th fair continues in the coming days, with attention remaining focused on government announcements and responses from unions and farming organisations. For broader news from across the country, see the Greece section of TodayGrid.