Police deployed tear gas and pepper spray on Friday (December 5) as protesting farmers in Thessaloniki attempted to breach a police cordon to take their demonstration to the city's main airport.

The farmers, some using tractors to intimidate police, engaged in heated clashes with riot police officers.

For days, thousands of farmers in northern and central Greece have intermittently blocked national highways and threatened to block ports and airports with their tractors in protest over delays in receiving EU agricultural subsidies.

Participation in the protests has grown over the last days, with repeated clashes with police.

Payments have been postponed due to an investigation into allegations of widespread corruption, where farmers, with the aid of state officials, are accused of forging land and livestock ownership to claim EU funds. The European Public Prosecutor's Office said earlier this year it uncovered evidence of the misappropriation of funds.

Greek officials have also launched separate investigations into the scandal, with parliament probing OPEKEPE, the state agency responsible for distributing agricultural subsidies. Government officials said over 40,000 applications remain under review.

On Wednesday (December 3), the government said payments would be issued as soon as possible, promising higher subsidies than 2024.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

THESSALONIKI, GREECE (DECEMBER 5, 2025)(REUTERS – Access all)

1. FARMERS PUSHING POLICE, POLICE PUSHING AND KICKING BACK, POLICE OFFICER FIRING PEPPER SPRAY, FARMERS SHOUTING

2. FARMER YELLING AT POLICE, FARMER CHARGING SHIELD, POLICE PUSHING BACK, OBJECTS THROWN AT POLICE, AUDIO OF TEAR GAS, TEAR GAS ON THE GROUND, POLICE PUSHING FORWARD AND FARMERS MOVING AWAY

3. TRACTOR DRIVEN BY FARMER BEING BACKED UP TOWARDS POLICE OFFICERS

4. FARMERS YELLING AT POLICE

5. AIR FILLING WITH TEAR GAS, POLICE WATCHING FARMERS

6. VARIOUS OF FARMERS BACKING UP THEIR TRACTORS TOWARDS RIOT POLICE, OTHER FARMERS YELLING, RIOT POLICE WATCHING TRACTORS

7. FARMERS MOVING AWAY FROM TEAR GAS FIRED, TEAR GAS CANISTERS ROLLING ON GROUND

8. OBJECTS THROWN AT RIOT POLICE

9. FARMER ON THE GROUND, FARMER GIVING HIM WATER, SPRAYING HIM WITH WATER

10. VARIOUS OF FARMERS AND POLICE SCUFFLING AS POLICE TRYING TO KEEP THEM BACK