Protests erupt in Thessaloniki to prevent elderly couple's eviction

On November 2, 2026, protesters led by the Thessaloniki Tenants' Union gathered in the Kato Toumba district to block the eviction of an elderly couple from their home. The couple, which includes a 77-year-old man suffering from cancer and dementia, faces displacement due to unpaid mortgage debts. A court bailiff reportedly arrived at the scene but did not immediately proceed with the eviction amid intense opposition from the gathered crowd.

The property was reportedly acquired by an investment fund in 2021 after the 77-year-old man served as a guarantor for his son's 145,000-euro housing loan. Both the son's primary residence and the elderly couple's home were pledged as collateral. Following the default on the loan, legal processes were initiated to seize the property. While the couple has been fighting these legal actions for years, they remain at risk of homelessness.

This incident is described by the Tenants' Union as part of a broader housing crisis in Greece, where residential properties are increasingly treated as commodities. The situation follows another recent attempted eviction of a 92-year-old in Ilioupoli, highlighting ongoing tensions regarding debt-related property seizures and the impact of banking policies on vulnerable citizens.