Athens residents resist eviction as government plans to redevelop historic Prosfygika complex

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Published Jun 16, 2026

A decades-long dispute over the historic Prosfygika housing complex in Athens has become a battle between a self-governing commune and Greek authorities. Built nearly a century ago to house Greek refugees displaced after the Greco-Turkish War, the apartment blocks were acquired by regional authorities in the 1990s as part of a redevelopment plan that has yet to materialise. Today, residents who still hold title deeds and around 400 squatters continue to occupy the site, resisting efforts to transform it into council housing. Commune members say they provide shelter and support for refugees, survivors of domestic violence and other vulnerable people through volunteer-run initiatives, including a community bakery. Activists argue Prosfygika has evolved into an experiment in collective living and self-governance, attracting supporters from across Europe. Some campaigners have launched hunger strikes to oppose redevelopment, saying the community offers an alternative model of social organisation. The dispute unfolds in the shadow of Greece’s centres of authority, including police headquarters and the Supreme Court, which activists say they reject.

Al Jazeera’s John Psaropoulos, Al Jazeera, Athens.

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