For the first time in ten years, STASY—the company managing Athens’ metro system—has rejected a request by Athens Pride to display posters in stations across the capital’s underground network, according to the festival’s organizers.

After a decade of having their posters displayed in the Athens Metro—an achievement they describe as reclaiming public space—Athens Pride said STASY SA denied their request this year without justification.

The organization stated it followed all required procedures for the use of advertising space, but despite their formal request, no explanation was given for the sudden decision. They also said they were informed only one day before the scheduled posting date.

“At a time when hate speech, intolerance and violence against our community are on the rise, decisions that restrict our visibility in the city are not neutral. They amount to a clear political stance — one that pushes us further into invisibility,” they said.