Backlash in Greece over investigation into student wearing Palestinian solidarity badge

An investigation launched against a high school student in Greece for wearing a watermelon-shaped badge—a symbol of solidarity with Palestine—during a national parade on October 28, has sparked widespread criticism from opposition parties and social media users.

According to the Greek news portal Esos.gr, the student wore the badge on their arm during the national holiday parade to convey a “message of freedom”, referencing the watermelon as a well-known symbol of Palestinian resistance.

Following reports that the Ministry of Education had ordered a disciplinary investigation into the incident, the opposition New Left Party condemned the government for what it called an “overreaction.”

“This incident is yet another sign of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ political alignment with the criminal regime of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” the party said in a statement. “The simple act of recalling a people’s unarmed resistance and struggle against fascism has evidently made the government uncomfortable.”

The statement further questioned the government’s motivations:

“We do not know whether the Education Minister received instructions directly from the Israeli Embassy or from the Prime Minister’s Office. What we do know is that disciplinary probes and oppressive measures against young students will not suppress public resistance.”

Public Outcry on Social Media

The government’s move also triggered strong reactions on social media, where many users accused authorities of stifling free expression.

One user wrote:

“The Mitsotakis government has become a puppet of Israel,”
criticizing its silence over what they described as genocide in Palestine.

Another commented:

“A government that feels threatened by a student’s badge clearly has no understanding of freedom.”

A third post read:

“The conscience of one student is more honorable than the political and diplomatic calculations of an entire government.”

The case has reignited debate in Greece about freedom of expression, governmental pressure, and the country’s close ties with Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.