In a powerful display of public demand for accountability, tens of thousands of individuals convened in Athens’ Syntagma Square on Sunday, seeking justice for the 57 lives lost in the tragic Tempe train disaster nearly two years prior.
Demonstrators held placards bearing messages like ‘We won’t forget’ and ‘I have no oxygen,’ the latter reflecting the poignant final words of a victim during an emergency call, recently highlighted in local media.
‘We are here and we will not stop … until those responsible are held accountable,’ stated Maria Karistianou, whose 20-year-old daughter died in the 2023 train crash.
The largely peaceful protest, among the most significant in the capital in recent years, saw brief confrontations between participants and law enforcement. Parallel demonstrations unfolded in various cities across Greece.
The catastrophic head-on collision between a passenger train, carrying numerous students, and a freight train occurred just before midnight on February 28, 2023, on the route linking Athens to Thessaloniki. This incident ignited widespread protests nationwide, with many citizens asserting that it underscored systemic neglect of the rail infrastructure following a prolonged financial crisis.
Nearly two years later, the precise causes of death for many victims remain undetermined. Families have accused authorities of attempting to conceal evidence, a claim the government denies. ‘Two years after the tragedy, no one has been punished, no one is in prison,’ expressed Ilias Papangelis. Some protesters chanted ‘Murderers’ during the rally.
The center-right government, re-elected after the crash, maintains that it is the judiciary’s responsibility to investigate the causes. Despite pledging to reform the rail system, the European Commission has noted that progress has been slow. The recent nomination of former parliament speaker Constantine Tassoul has further angered victims’ relatives, who argue that under his leadership, lawmakers failed to examine any political accountability.
An expert report commissioned by the victims’ families revealed that the crash resulted in a massive fireball, though the cause remains unclear. Leaked audio evidence suggested that approximately 30 of the 57 victims were still alive immediately after the Thessaloniki-bound intercity train collided with a freight train.
These recent protests underscore the enduring grief and anger among the victims’ families and the broader public, as they continue to seek accountability and justice for the tragic event.
