Greek police fired tear gas at demonstrators who hurled petrol bombs in Athens after protests marking the anniversary of the country’s deadliest train disaster turned violent.
Hooded youths threw Molotov cocktails, smashed paving stones and attempted to storm barriers protecting the parliament during confrontations with police in central Athens. Riot officers responded with tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowds.
Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, reporting from Athens, described “huge crowds” throughout the capital and noted there had been a “sense” that demonstrations might escalate into violence.
Hundreds of thousands participated in rallies across Greece demanding justice two years after the deadly crash that killed 57 people when a passenger train carrying university students collided with a freight train near Tempe in 2023.
“You count profits. We count lives,” protesters chanted, with many carrying black balloons and anti-government banners.
The demonstrations coincided with a general strike that paralyzed transportation nationwide. International and domestic flights were grounded as air traffic controllers joined the work stoppage. Seafarers, train drivers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and numerous businesses also participated in the widespread shutdown.
Family members of the crash victims led the protests, which have grown into some of the largest demonstrations since Greece’s debt crisis over a decade ago.
“The government hasn’t done anything to get justice,” said Christos Main, 57, a musician attending the Athens rally. “This wasn’t an accident, it was murder.”
Yannis Panagopoulos, president of the General Confederation of Greek Workers, the country’s largest labor union, stated: “The full truth must come to light, and those responsible, no matter how high their position, must be held accountable.”
Public anger has intensified over the conservative government’s perceived inaction after the crash exposed serious deficiencies in Greece’s transportation infrastructure. A report released Thursday concluded that human error, outdated infrastructure, and systemic failures caused the disaster, while safety gaps identified after the crash remain unaddressed.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s government faces criticism from victims’ families for failing to initiate a parliamentary inquiry into political responsibility. The government denies wrongdoing and maintains that the judiciary should handle the investigation, which remains unfinished.
