Thessaloniki: Lesbian couple attacked in homophobic incident while walking together

Two lesbian women in Thessaloniki were victims of a homophobic attack, according to a Facebook post by Elena Olga Christidi, scientific director of the NGO Orlando LGBT+.

She wrote: “Two lesbian/queer people were walking together, holding each other briefly. That was enough for someone to throw water at us from the open window of a car speeding past, while laughing and shouting insults.”

According to her post:

“In Greece in 2025, in Thessaloniki, two lesbian/queer people held each other briefly while walking down the street. That was enough for someone to throw water at us from the open window of a passing car, laughing and shouting insults.

If two white, “well-dressed” people like us can be casually subjected to a worn-out act of homophobic harassment on the street after leaving the Thessaloniki Film Festival, imagine what our trans friends, young queer people, migrants, or sex workers are forced to endure.

We are personally safe and calm.

But our anger will keep rising as long as the very existence of queer people in public space is questioned and threatened.

The reason we share this small personal incident as part of the broader collective experience of multiple discriminations against all of us is to remind everyone: whoever refuses to take a stand against all fronts of the far right’s reorganization — and chooses only some, out of political strategy, false prioritization of needs, or movement alliances — bears responsibility.

For us and our communities, the story is familiar, and our strength will always lie in our collective resistance.”