Approximately 5,000 people gathered in Thessaloniki, on Sunday (Greece time) to voice their concerns over a forthcoming identity card implementation set to launch later this month, as reported by local police.
Dressed in national colours and carrying Greek flags and religious banners, the demonstrators convened at the White Tower, an emblematic waterfront fortification or resistance, ultimately dispersing without any incidents.
Amidst chants, patriotic slogans, and their rendition of the national anthem, the crowd paid homage to the late former head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, who had previously cautioned against perceived threats to the Greek people.
The alignment of the protests with religious circles has presented a challenge for the Church of Greece, with certain bishops endorsing the demonstrations. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, who differs in approach from his fiery predecessor Christodoulos, has disclosed that the Church’s Holy Synod will issue an official statement regarding the identity cards in the coming days, urging “judiciousness and prudence.”
Another protest rally is slated to take place in Athens next weekend, further underscoring some people’s fervent opposition to the new identity cards with some asserting, false claims, that the new cards harbour embedded chips enabling authorities to track cardholders’ locations or exert mind control.
The cards, designed to adhere to an EU-wide standard, are scheduled to become obligatory by August 2026.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, expressing frustration during a recent cabinet meeting, categorically denied the speculations, stating emphatically that the IDs will contain “no chips, cameras, or listening devices.”
The new IDs will reportedly carry the same essential personal information, including name, parents’ names, address, and height, with an optional addition: blood type.
