Greek mass protests and a general strike Friday marking the second anniversary of a deadly train disaster morphed into violent Athens clashes between police and hundreds hooded, black-clad young protesters. Photo by George Vitsaras/EPA-EFE
Feb. 28 (UPI) — Greek mass protests and a general strike Friday marking the second anniversary of a deadly train disaster morphed into violent Athens clashes between police and hundreds hooded, black-clad young protesters.
Thousands of people gathered in Athens for a peaceful protest fled as police fired tear gas to disperse rock-throwing demonstrators.
Nationwide hundreds of thousands of Greeks joined the mostly peaceful strikes and protests over unsafe rail practices protesters believe led to the Feb. 28, 2023, train crash that killed 57 people.
Protests were organized in 346 cities across Greece, Europe and Britain.
After an investigation concluded Thursday that the crash was caused by poor maintenance, inadequate staffing and human error, Greece’s Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority warned safety issues have not been addressed.
“Those children were killed because the train was not safe,” Authority head Christos Papadimitriou said.
Hellenic Train was privatized during the peak of Greece’s debt crisis and the austerity measures that followed. Train workers and protesters believe that led to unsafe operation of the trains.
Many of the people protesting Friday believe the country’s conservative government is not doing enough to address the causes of the horrific head-on train crash and instead has tried to cover up the actions of high-ranking officials.
“I firmly believe that the government is covering up those responsible for the accident. We demand that all the evidence come to light,” Protester Dina Gazi Friday told the BBC.
Train workers went on strike in March 2023, alleging that the “disrespect” successive governments showed toward Greek railroads led to the tragic crash.
When the passenger train crowded with university students hit a freight train head-on a fireball heavily damaged the first two train cars.
“Everyone’s thoughts are with the families of the 57 victims. With the wounded. But also with those who survived this accident, carrying forever the wound of his memory. That night, we saw the ugliest person in the country on the national mirror. Fatal human errors coupled with chronic state shortcomings and violently derailed our certainties,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Facebook.