ATHENS, Feb 28 - Tens of thousands of people rallied in Athens and other Greek cities on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of the 2023 train collision at Tempi, which remains the deadliest rail disaster in the country’s history. Demonstrations coincided with a wave of work stoppages that halted trains and ferries and disrupted urban transport, as employees left their posts to take part in the events.
Outside the parliament building in Athens, mourners laid wreaths and flowers and displayed banners demanding "Justice." The names of the 57 victims - mostly students - were spray-painted in red on the ground nearby, a stark visual reminder of lives lost when a passenger train and a freight train collided head-on in central Greece.
The crash has been widely portrayed by protesters and victims' relatives as emblematic of deeper state failures, citing safety shortcomings and long-term neglect of the rail network. Public anger has been amplified by a perception that political leaders enjoy legal protections that largely shield them from prosecution under Greek law, a factor that helped drive last year’s mass demonstrations - described at the time as the largest in years.
Thousands of police officers were deployed in the capital on Saturday. Demonstrations also took place in other countries, reflecting the international reach of the victims' families and supporters. Pavlos Aslanidis, who leads the association of victims' relatives, addressed the crowds and said: "We seek one thing: Justice."
A judicial probe into the disaster concluded earlier this year. As a result, dozens of non-politicians are scheduled to stand trial on March 23 on charges that span from traffic disruption leading to deaths to negligent manslaughter and causing bodily harm. Protesters have reiterated demands for both institutional reforms and criminal accountability for those they view as responsible.
Relatives and campaigners have pointed to delays in a safety upgrade project co-funded by the European Union. That project, launched in 2014 to install safety systems on the network, was still years behind schedule by 2023, according to probes cited by demonstrators. Family members have also alleged attempts by authorities to conceal or tamper with evidence, claims that authorities have disputed.
The centre-right government has denied any wrongdoing and said that the justice process will clarify the facts of the case. Officials have pledged a comprehensive reform of the rail system, with a target to complete full railway reform by 2027.
Among the placards seen in Athens, one read: "It wasn’t an accident, it was murder," encapsulating the persistent anger and grief fueling the anniversary events as the country awaits the upcoming trial.