Tobacco workers in Agrinio were militant and protective of their rights. In November 1927 unemployed workers gathered outside the Papastratos warehouse, forced their way in and started working. Soon there were arguments and fistfights with the more conservative elements of the legitimate workforce who were already there. The gendarmerie removed the unemployed workers, but they came back again the next day, at which point the gendarmerie employed force to disperse the crowd, while some workers were arrested. When the same thing happened for a third day on November 3, the authorities requested and received reinforcements from Missolonghi.