Greek students and teachers protest education costs and housing crisis

Thousands of pupils, university students and teachers marched across Greece on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, protesting education funding, rising living costs, and the housing crisis, causing major disruption in Athens and other cities. Demonstrations took place in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa, Volos, Heraklion, and Lamia, with police detaining 12 people for questioning in Athens and 10 in Thessaloniki. Protesters carried French-language banners and performed resistance songs, linking their campaign to broader European student movements. The protests follow Tuesday's tent encampments in Syntagma Square and include over 50 occupied schools in western and central Greece. Major education unions backed the action, and protesters have signaled plans to escalate with further occupations and marches.