A tense confrontation unfolded in Greece’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki, as protesting farmers clashed briefly with police.

The unrest erupted when more than 1,000 demonstrators, accompanied by a convoy of approximately 50 tractors, attempted to breach security cordons near a venue where Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was delivering a speech.

Authorities reported no immediate injuries or arrests stemming from the skirmish. The protesters, hailing primarily from central Greece, descended on the northern city to voice their grievances, mirroring a wave of farmer-led demonstrations sweeping across Europe in recent months. Displaying black flags and activating their tractors’ emergency lights, the group blocked central roads in Thessaloniki, disrupting traffic during the nighttime rally.

The protests, organized by Greek farming associations, have been gaining traction for weeks, with demands centered on government action to address mounting challenges. Chief among their concerns are crop losses linked to climate change and inadequate support for recovery efforts following natural disasters. The movement has found particular resonance in Thessaly, a central region hit hard by catastrophic floods in late 2023, leaving farmers still reeling from the devastation.

The demonstration underscores broader frustrations among Greece’s agricultural community, as they press for solutions to safeguard their livelihoods amid increasingly unpredictable environmental and economic conditions. (ILKHA)