On July 22, 1943, a massive protest took place in Axis-occupied Athens against the German plans to expand the Bulgarian occupation zone in Macedonia.

Bulgaria had already officially annexed parts of Macedonia and Thrace on May 14, 1941.
A massive campaign of colonization was launched, which saw all Greek officials (mayors, school-teachers, judges, lawyers, priests, gendarmes) deported.

A ban was placed on the use of the Greek language, and the names of towns and places changed to Bulgarian.

In addition, the Bulgarian government tried to alter the ethnic composition of Macedonia, by expropriating land and houses from Greeks in favor of Bulgarian settlers and by the introduction of forced labor and of economic restrictions on Greeks in an effort to force them to migrate.

Upon receiving the news that Bulgaria would further expand its occupation in Macedonia, Greeks became infuriated.

A general strike was organized on July 22nd. Between 100,000 and 300,000 (or even 400,000 according to some sources) people rallied in central Athens.

Protesters were fired upon during their attempt to breach the barricade and were forced to withdraw, leaving behind twenty-two dead and several hundred wounded.

Workers and university students participated in large numbers in the protest for Macedonia. Several of them were killed.

Soon after the protest, the plans to extend the Bulgarian occupation zone were postponed indefinitely and never materialized.

https://greekreporter.com/2022/07/22/greeks-nazis-macedonia-bulgaria/