Acropolis: Prosecution Investigates Adidas Drone Show

The drone show conducted on Thursday night (May 15, 2025) as part of Adidas’s promotional campaign has come under prosecutorial scrutiny. The Chief Prosecutor of the First Instance Court of Athens, Aristidis Koreas, has ordered an urgent preliminary investigation following a complaint from the Ministry of Culture regarding the use of drones near the Acropolis for advertising purposes. The investigation aims to determine whether any violations of antiquities laws or other criminal offenses have occurred. The Security Department of the Acropolis will carry out the investigation. Notably, the management of the Zappeion Megaron is also under scrutiny concerning who authorized the drone show that created the image of Adidas sneakers, sparking public backlash. Despite the rejection of filming permits for Oscar-winning director Giorgos Lanthimos, political figures have directly criticized the Ministry of Culture for its role in this advertisement. The Ministry of Culture announced that it has filed a complaint against all responsible parties for violating archaeological legislation. Additionally, it is in communication with the Civil Aviation Authority to investigate compliance with drone flight authorization procedures.