Greeks staged their largest protests in years alongside a general strike to mark the second anniversary of a rail disaster that killed 57 people and injured dozens more.
“I am here in memory of the people who were killed in the train crash. We demand justice,” said 13-year-old Dimitris, who attended Athens’ massive Syntagma Square rally with his father Petros Polyzos.
On February 28, 2023, a passenger train filled with students collided head-on with a freight train near central Greece’s Tempi gorge. An inquiry concluded Thursday that human error, poor maintenance, and inadequate staffing caused the accident.
Greece’s Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority warned that safety issues revealed by the crash remain unaddressed. “Those children were killed because the train was not safe,” said authority chief Christos Papadimitriou.
The disaster deeply shocked Greeks, with many accusing their conservative government of insufficient transparency. A widespread belief exists that officials have covered up the involvement of high-ranking authorities.
Central Athens was filled with demonstrators of all ages and backgrounds, many attending their first-ever protest. By afternoon, clashes erupted with police, involving petrol bombs and tear gas.
Protesters wore shirts reading “I have no oxygen – justice to the end,” referencing the victims. Rallies occurred in 346 cities across Greece and Europe, including Thessaloniki, Brussels, Rome, and UK cities.
The passenger train, carrying students returning to university after a holiday, collided with a freight train on the same track. A subsequent fireball destroyed the first two carriages.
Dina Gazi, 62, held white balloons bearing victims’ names. “I firmly believe that the government is covering up those responsible,” she told BBC. “We demand that all the evidence come to light.”
The nationwide strike closed schools and shops, canceled flights and trains, with limited public transport operating only to bring protesters to Syntagma Square. Taxi drivers offered free rides to demonstrators.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged on Facebook the “fatal human errors coupled with chronic shortcomings of the state” and promised “more dynamically and quickly” to ensure train safety. This represents his most significant political challenge in nearly six years in office.
Thursday’s inquiry found millions of euros allocated for railway safety systems remained incomplete due to corruption and bureaucracy. Victims’ families suspect the freight train carried contraband fuel for smugglers.
“It is impossible to determine what exactly caused [the fireball], but simulations and expert reports indicate the possible presence of a hitherto unknown fuel,” the report stated. Experts noted that “serious information went missing because the site of the accident was not sealed.”
While allegations suggest evidence was deliberately removed days after the crash, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis denied any cover-up, stating the inquiry found no political directives to alter the scene.
Amid the protests, Pavlos Aslanidis, whose 26-year-old son Dimitris died in the accident, told journalists: “I don’t know how I find the strength to stand. My son gives me the strength. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here today demanding justice.”
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