In Thessaloniki, police detained an Orthodox Christian who was trying to stop the Thessaloniki Pride parade

In Thessaloniki, the closing ceremony of the 14th Thessaloniki Pride Festival was temporarily interrupted after a man in a cassock lay down on the road in front of the parade, holding a cross and an icon. Greek police removed the protester from the road and took him to a police station, after which the event resumed and concluded along the planned route.

According to Protothema, the incident occurred on June 20, 2026, as the parade was moving down one of Thessaloniki’s streets. The publication reported that two men in monastic robes participated in the protest, shouting, “Repent!”

One of the protesters suddenly lay down on the pavement directly in front of the ceremonial platform, temporarily halting the procession. Police officers who arrived at the scene forcibly removed the man from the roadway and detained him.

The Greek authorities, despite the detainee’s appearance, stated that he is not a clergyman and has no connection to the Greek Orthodox Church or its institutions. After the police intervention, the procession resumed, and the festival concluded as scheduled.

As a reminder, a mass rally in support of the traditional family took place in Thessaloniki on June 13, 2026. The rally participants spoke out against the same-sex marriage law and demanded that the Greek authorities review their policies on family relations and education.