Teenagers and young adults threw stones and shouted discriminatory slurs at participants of the 11th Thessaloniki Pride.
Shortly after 8 pm, and as soon as the march reached Nikis Avenue near the White Tower, a group of people, mainly teenagers and young adults, started throwing stones at the participants in the parade and the floats.
The intervention of the police was needed to calm tensions by removing people who were throwing stones.
It is noted that this is not the first time that a similar incident has occurred, in exactly the same place, during the march for Thessaloniki Pride.
Dance, songs and rainbow flags at the "pride march" of the 11th Thessaloniki Pride
With the central slogan "I belong to me" and with the participation of many people, the great "pride march" of the 11th Thessaloniki Pride started in the heart of Greece's city.
With this year's starting point the south gate of the TIF - and not the White Tower - a multitude of Thessalonians, agencies, organisations and collectives flooded Tsimiski Street dancing, singing and raising high the flag of the pride festival, in the colours of the rainbow.
Holding flags in the colours of Pride, having on their bodies colourful flags or paintings with messages about love, thousands of people who participated in the parade danced to the rousing rhythms of the Paranauê band and next to the floats of Thessaloniki Pride.
The 11th Thessaloniki Pride, as its slogan suggests, wanted to highlight the issue of the body's autonomy and self-determination.
The colourful march moved through the main streets of Thessaloniki and ended at the starting point, while a concert was planned for later in which: Tamta, Kings, The Mode, Kostis Mylonas, the dance group House of Drama, and drag shows by Heelcat, Katina Bella, Mystic Van Rouge, Bimboy and Fatality.
At the Pride Fair, which is hosted at the southern gate of TIF as part of Thessaloniki Pride 2023, the mayor of Thessaloniki, Konstantinos Zervas, was present at noon on Saturday, sending his own separate message.
"Pride worldwide is a form of expression, a day of joy but also a reminder that all people should be equal without any element of prejudice, persecution or comment," the said.
"The effort we must all make together is to constantly move forward, to respect and learn, because as long as someone learns, they evolve and they becomes better.
"The functioning of a healthy society has to do with others' understanding and acceptance of us and our own understanding and acceptance of others.
"The city of Thessaloniki - with such a strong element of culture, diversity, cosmopolitanism, which created so many innovative ideas - can only continue to be inclusive, constantly moving forward and making its people as much as possible they feel proud, equal and free. Happy Pride!"
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