Since the ride-hailing service Uber began operating in Rhodes and Corfu on April 25, Greece's taxi drivers have been in an uproar over the competition they face. The situation reached a breaking point on April 27, when a group of taxi owners and drivers allegedly vandalized multiple Uber vehicles in a parking lot outside of Uber Greece's offices in Rhodes. The vehicles vandalized included a Volkswagen T-Roc and a Volvo XC40. The arrest of three Uber drivers for violating traffic laws and giving trips to the island's airport at prices lower than permitted was the impetus for the event. According to the reports, the drivers were taken into custody after they got into a fight with the drivers of the local taxis.

Photos and videos taken at the scene after the collision show several vehicles, including a Mercedes CLA, three GLAs, a Peugeot 3008 and a Skoda Octavia, flipped over and severely damaged. Additionally, a scooter that had been vandalized was discovered, but it is unknown whether this incident was connected to the company. The event has been roundly criticized and Uber Greece has issued a statement that urges everyone involved to be calm and cooperative. It was emphasized by the corporation that threats and aggressive behaviors should never be accepted, and they made a commitment to cooperate along with the authorities to find those guilty for the violence.

The local taxi syndicate in Rhodes has a unique perspective on the current predicament. They contend that Uber's introduction into the market has resulted in competition that is both unfair and unregulated in a market that is characterized by strong seasonal characteristics. They claim that more than 700 families in Rhodes rely on the taxi industry for their means of subsistence, and they have pledged to continue their struggle against Uber by organizing additional demonstrations and going on strikes. The competition between taxi drivers in Greece and Uber is not a recent development. Working for Uber is a lot more affordable and involves less rules than working for a taxi company in Athens, where the cost of getting a taxi permit may reach up to €100,000 ($110,000). This has caused taxi drivers to harbor resentment towards Uber because they believe the company is undercutting their costs and taking away their customers.