The Athens-based anarchist collective Rouvikonas has expanded its presence to Thessaloniki, marking a significant step for the group after years of concentrated activism in the Greek capital. On March 29th and 30th, the collective hosted an open introduction event in the heart of Thessaloniki, with their flag draped from balconies — a symbolic announcement of their arrival and future intentions for the city.

The expansion takes place against a backdrop of heightened political tension and growing public disillusionment with state institutions.(1) Founded in the early 2010s, Rouvikonas has become known for its use of direct actions targeting corporate and governmental institutions — from office occupations and graffiti protests, to symbolic confrontations. (2,3,4) The group follows anarchist and anti-authoritarian principles, operating without a centralized hierarchy.

While Rouvikonas rejects centralized leadership, the group maintains cohesion through a shared ideology, collective decision-making, and consistent coordination, often facilitated by in-person assemblies or secure communication channels.

Over time, Rouvikonas has emerged as one of Greece’s most visible and radical collectives.(5) While many praise their efforts as a necessary counterweight to unchecked state and corporate authority, others condemn them as reckless and destabilizing. Although Rouvikonas has not been formally designated as a terrorist organization, the group has been repeatedly targeted by the Greek state, particularly under the New Democracy government. (6) Authorities have sought to criminalize its actions, noting high-profile embassy intrusions, raids on public institutions, and politically charged protests as justification. (7,8)

During a recent trip to Athens, I met members of the group in Exarchia — a neighborhood long associated with anarchist history and resistance, now under increased state surveillance. (9) Our meeting took place at K-Vox, their self-managed social center and bar. Despite the heavy stigma surrounding their name, the members I encountered were thoughtful, politically grounded, and deliberate in their goals. Their commitment to grassroots struggle felt sincere, not performative.

Their activism isn’t limited to confrontational protests. Members have organized community kitchens, assisted in disaster relief efforts during Greece’s worsening wildfire seasons, and provided aid to marginalized communities.(5,10)

Outside K-Vox, I was greeted by a soft-spoken member who asked a few direct questions about my background. At first, it felt unsettling, but given the state’s ongoing surveillance and legal pressure on the group, this vetting came across as cautious rather than paranoid.

Shortly afterward, Giorgos Kalaitzidis joined us. Though the group avoids hierarchical titles, Giorgos has become its unofficial spokesperson — regularly appearing on media platforms and in courtrooms to articulate the collective's stance amid intensifying legal battles.

These legal issues are not symbolic. Following a non-violent protest at the Hellenic Train headquarters in February 2025 — in response to the tragic Tempi train crash that killed 57 people — 25 Rouvikonas members were detained. (11) During the protest, they unfurled a banner calling the company “murderers.” While the action involved no violence, it prompted a swift and heavy-handed response from authorities.One member told me, “Even peaceful actions are criminalized the moment we’re involved.”

Giorgos himself was arrested last year over a Facebook post criticizing the police presence near Exarchia Square. (12) The post warned of a potential collective response if riot police were not withdrawn. Authorities used the post as grounds for anti-terror prosecution, with a cybercrime officer testifying that it constituted an actionable threat. The case has raised pressing questions about freedom of expression and the shrinking space for lawful dissent in Greece.

Moreover, Rouvikonas' tactics are grounded in anarchist principles of direct action. They are far from the stereotype of so-called "café Marxists" who debate solutions endlessly without acting. On the contrary, they approach political problems with deliberate planning and execution. Beyond symbolic protests, they’ve carried out office occupations, disrupted court proceedings, and publicly confronted employers accused of exploiting workers, sometimes even engaging in physical confrontations. (13,14) These actions are often labeled by critics as vigilantism or intimidation.

What sets Rouvikonas apart is their meticulous documentation of each intervention. Every action is filmed to show that members follow a planned course. For them, transparency is not just strategic, it’s part of their political stance. As one member put it, when the justice system fails, they feel compelled to enact justice themselves and make it visible, even at personal, legal, or reputational costs.

These uncompromising tactics have earned them considerable respect within Greece’s broader anarchist and anti-authoritarian circles. Still, some critics dismiss their actions as performative or overly confrontational, questioning whether such direct tactics lead to lasting change.

Furthermore, the Greek government has repeatedly justified its interference with and scapegoating of broader anarchist and leftist groups, portraying them as disruptors of public order and threats to national security. This narrative serves to rationalize the government’s brutal crackdowns on protesters, which often seem aimed at instilling fear among those who dissent. Authorities have also highlighted instances where these groups are accused of illegally occupying public buildings, disturbing civic life, and compromising public safety.

However, Critics argue that the state disproportionately targets anarchist and leftist groups while turning a blind eye to far-right and neo-fascist elements. (15) Under the center-right New Democracy government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, legal scholars and human rights groups have repeatedly voiced concerns over selective law enforcement and political scapegoating.

Rouvikonas’ move to Thessaloniki raises important questions: Why now? Why here?

Members say the decision came in response to growing demand in Northern Greece and the strategic importance of establishing a presence in the country’s second-largest city. They believe lasting change requires a national reach — not confinement to Athens.

As part of this next phase, they’ve built a network of affiliated members across cities in Northern Greece, maintaining direct coordination with the core group. Plans are already underway to expand into Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Crete, and the islands.

Rouvikonas shares updates on X (formerly Twitter) about their presence in Northern Greece:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="el" dir="ltr">Ανάρτηση πανό από το δίκτυο συνδεδεμένων μελών του Ρουβίκωνα σε πόλεις της Βόρειας Ελλάδας. Η οργάνωση του Ρουβίκωνα στη Θεσσαλονίκη είναι πλέον γεγονός, ενώ την ίδια ίδια στιγμή διαμορφώνεται ένα δίκτυο συνδεδεμένων μελών του Ρουβίκωνα στη Βόρεια Ελλάδα. <a href="https://t.co/Pm007DcrZC">pic.twitter.com/Pm007DcrZC</a></p>&mdash; Ρουβίκωνας (@rouvikonas2014) <a href="https://twitter.com/rouvikonas2014/status/1912903530463080908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

(Translation of the Twitter Post: Posting of banners by the network of affiliated members of Rouvicon in cities of Northern Greece. The organization of Rouvicon in Thessaloniki is now a fact, while at the same time a network of affiliated members of Rouvicon in Northern Greece is being formed.)

While their methods — including confrontational tactics and campaigns against exploitative employers — remain controversial, their underlying motivations seem rooted in a desire to confront a system increasingly viewed as detached from everyday struggles. Whether you view them as vigilantes or defenders of the marginalized, Rouvikonas continues to force a reckoning with the boundaries of protest, power, and justice in contemporary Greece.

Sources

1. Novak, C. (2025). Why the Greek government faces a no-confidence vote. Tovima. https://www.tovima.com/opinions/why-the-greek-government-faces-a-no-confidence-vote/

2. Ρουβίκωνας. (2025). Παρέμβαση μέσα σε αίθουσα της Βουλής για το έγκλημα των Τεμπών. https://rouvikonas.gr/archives/36691

3. Tovima. (2016). ‘Rouvikonas’ occupies offices of urban transport conductors. https://www.tovima.gr/2016/09/22/international/rouvikonas-occupies-offices-of-urban-transport-conductors/

4. Venti, A & Poulakidakos, S. (2020). Video-activism and small-scale resistance: the visual rhetoric of Youtube videos by the Greek anarchist group Rouvikonas. Routledge. 

5. Clapp, A. (2018). Nevermind the Troika, here’s Rouvikonas. Foreign Affairs. https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/26/never-mind-the-troika-heres-rouvikonas/

6. A-Infos. (2019). Al bruxelles, Greece: Exarcheia and Rouvikonas in the sights of the new conservative government by Yannis Youlountas. https://www.ainfos.ca/en/ainfos39999.html

7. Gilson, G. (2019). Rouvikonas vandalizes the US ambassador's residence in Athens. Tovima. https://www.tovima.gr/2019/05/15/international/rouvikonas-vandalises-us-ambassadors-residence-in-athens/

8. Skordas, A. (2018). Rouvikonas anarchist group raids the federation of industries in Thessaloniki and ministry in Athens. Greek City Times. https://greekcitytimes.com/2018/09/07/rouvikonas-anarchist-group-raids-federation-of-industries-in-thessaloniki-and-ministry-in-athens/

9. The Press Project. (2025). Police crackdown on squats in Exarchia. https://thepressproject.gr/greek-minister-announces-exarchia-concert-ban-and-new-roma-focused-police-unit/

10. Freedom. (n.d.). Rouvikonas volunteers battle Greek fires. https://freedomnews.org.uk/2023/07/21/rubicon-volunteers-battle-greek-fires/

11. Hellas Journal. (2025). Major protest rally over Tempi rail disaster held in Athens; rallies throughout Greece. https://hellasjournal.com/2025/02/major-protest-rally-over-tempi-rail-disaster-held-in-athens-rallies-throughout-greece/

12. The Press Project. (2024). Member of the anarchist collective Rouvikonas on trial today for social media post. https://thepressproject.gr/member-of-the-anarchist-collective-rouvikonas-on-trial-today-for-social-media-post/

13. Tovima. (2016). ‘Rouvikonas’ occupies offices of urban transport conductors. https://www.tovima.gr/2016/09/22/international/rouvikonas-occupies-offices-of-urban-transport-conductors/ 

14. Ekatheimerini. (2017). Anarchist group tries to storm council of state. https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/217940/anarchist-group-tries-to-storm-council-of-state/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

15. Papanicolaou, G. & Rigakos, G. (2021). Greece’s right wing government is massively expanding police powers. Jacobin. https://jacobin.com/2021/04/greece-special-forces-police-university-nd