Greece on Friday, the second anniversary of the deadly Tempi train crash, saw massive rallies and a general strike, bringing a halt to life across the country.
On Feb. 28, 2023, a passenger train collided head-on with a freight train near the town of Tempi in northern Greece. The official death toll stands at 57, including many university students and nine train crew members.
On a call by numerous different trade unions, political parties, student associations and civic associations, hundreds of thousands of Greeks took to the streets, and squares across the country, including but not limited to the capital Athens, northern port city of Thessaloniki, central cities of Volos and Larissa, western port city of Patras and Heraklion in the island of Crete.
The protesters, carrying placards with names and pictures of the victims, and banners urging justice to be served, chanted slogans accusing the government of hiding the details of the incident and calls to step down.
The rail union federation denounced a "lack of respect towards Greece's rail network by successive governments over the years, which led to this tragic result".
‘Seeking to find their Justice’
In Athens, many politicians were also present among the enormous crowd of protesters, who flocked to the central Syntagma Square.
Speaking to journalists at the iconic square, Socratis Famellos, president of the left-wing opposition SYRIZA party, said: “Today, throughout Greece and beyond, Greek men and women are seeking to find their Justice for the crime of Tempi, for the crime of cover-up, for a safe society, with safe transportation,” and called on the government to resign.
Also speaking, general secretary of the opposition Greek Communist Party Dimitris Koutsoumpas said: “The responsibilities of the Greek government and those who have governed to date are enormous.
We will not leave anyone in the lurch, no matter how high they are. The punishment must be merciless so that we do not experience another Tempi for ourselves and our children."
The massive rally in Athens also saw clashes between police and self-styled anarchists who tried to break the security barriers and police cordon in front of the parliamentary building.
Police responded with tear gas on the anarchists, who threw firebombs.
They also arrested dozens of people while some were seen being taken to ambulances by medical staff on standby around the square.
Almost all businesses in the central districts of the city shut down.
More than 40,000 people protested nationwide, including an estimated 25,000 in capital, Athens, while a 24-hour strike forced the civil service, flights and ferries to shut down.
