• Hundreds of thousands protested in Greece, demanding justice for the 57 victims of the 2023 Tempi train crash, the deadliest in the nation’s history.
• The tragedy, blamed on systemic infrastructure failures and government negligence, sparked nationwide strikes and violent clashes with police.
• Protesters in Athens and Thessaloniki honored victims, with emotional tributes and calls for accountability, while accusing the government of inaction.
• Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ government faces criticism for unaddressed safety gaps and alleged cover-ups, despite promises to modernize the railway system.
• The disaster highlights Greece’s broader infrastructure crisis, with protests underscoring public fury over political neglect and unmet reform promises.

Two years after the deadliest train crash in Greece’s history, the nation erupted in anger Friday as hundreds of thousands took to the streets to demand accountability and justice. The protests, marked by clashes with police, a nationwide strike, and emotional tributes to the 57 victims, underscored deep-seated frustration over the government’s failure to address systemic infrastructure failures and political negligence.

The tragedy occurred on February 28, 2023, when a passenger train filled with students collided head-on with a freight train near the Tempi gorge in central Greece. The crash, which many blame on chronic underfunding and mismanagement of the railway system, has become a symbol of the country’s broader struggles with crumbling infrastructure and government inefficiency.

A nation in mourning and fury

In Athens, protesters gathered in Syntagma Square, the heart of the capital, where they spray-painted the names of the victims in red on the ground. The slogan “I have no oxygen” — the last words of a woman who called emergency services before her death — echoed through the crowd. Demonstrators chanted “murderers” and held signs accusing the government of negligence.

“The government hasn’t done anything to get justice,” said Christos Main, 57, a musician at the Athens rally. “This wasn’t an accident, it was murder.”

The peaceful protest turned violent when hooded youths hurled petrol bombs at police and attempted to storm the parliament building. Riot police responded with tear gas and water cannons, leading to clashes that spread into nearby neighborhoods. Similar scenes unfolded in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, where black balloons were released into the sky in memory of the dead.

A government under fire

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ center-right government, re-elected months after the crash, has faced relentless criticism for its handling of the disaster. Relatives of the victims and opposition parties accuse the government of covering up evidence and failing to hold politicians accountable.

In a Facebook post Friday, Mitsotakis acknowledged the tragedy but defended his administration’s efforts. “That night, we saw the ugliest face of the country in the national mirror,” he wrote. “Fatal human errors met with chronic state inadequacies.”

Despite promises to modernize the railway network, a state inquiry released Thursday found that safety gaps remain unaddressed. A judicial investigation into the crash is ongoing, but no one has been convicted.

A broader crisis of neglect

The train disaster has exposed the consequences of years of underinvestment in Greece’s infrastructure, a problem exacerbated by the country’s decade-long financial crisis. Critics argue that while the government has prioritized spending on international conflicts and migration, it has neglected domestic needs.

“Every day, the monster of corrupt power appears before us,” said Maria Karystianou, whose daughter died in the crash and who leads an association of victims’ families.

The protests coincided with a 24-hour general strike that brought the country to a standstill. Flights were grounded, ferries and trains halted, and schools, hospitals, and businesses shut down. The strike, supported by unions representing workers across sectors, was a powerful show of solidarity with the victims and a rebuke to the government.

As Greece grapples with the aftermath of the disaster, the protests serve as a reminder of the human cost of political and infrastructural neglect. For many, the tragedy is not just a failure of policy but a betrayal of trust.

“We’re here because we’re parents… tomorrow it might be our children,” said Litsa, a 45-year-old nurse at the Athens rally.

The government’s promises of reform have done little to quell public anger. With parliament set to debate a potential inquiry into political responsibility next week, the pressure on Mitsotakis’ administration shows no signs of abating.

Sources for this article include:

Reuters.com

NYTimes.com

CNN.com