Thousands gather in Greece’s cities to call for justice in Tempe disaster

[Giannis Kemmos/ Facebook]

In one of the largest demonstrations in recent years at Syntagma Square in Athens, tens of thousands of people gathered on Sunday to demand justice for the Tempe train disaster. The protest was joined by 97 cities across Greece and 13 cities internationally, unified under the slogan “I Have No Oxygen.”

The protests were spurred by the release of a chilling audio recording suggesting that dozens of victims may have died as a result of a fire of unknown origin, rather than the collision itself, during the February 2023 disaster. The government’s handling of the investigation has come under intense scrutiny, with reports of missing evidence and surveillance footage raising serious questions.

Demonstrators at Syntagma Square continued to arrive well after the official start time of 12 p.m., as announced by the association of victims’ families. By noon, the area in front of the Parliament building on Vasilissis Amalias Avenue was already packed with people.

The crowd was diverse, reflecting no specific ideological affiliations, and the protest was largely silent, punctuated occasionally by chants of “Murderers! Murderers!” The sheer density of the crowd made movement nearly impossible, and at one point, a woman fainted.

In a symbolic act, protesters used red paint to write the names of the deceased in front of the Greek Parliament.

The unexpectedly large turnout caught police unprepared, leading to severe traffic congestion even in areas far from Syntagma Square. Around 2 p.m., clashes broke out between police and a group of unknown individuals, prompting officers to use tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Maria Karystianou, representing the association of families of Tempe victims, addressed the gathering, expressing gratitude to the attendees. She spoke of a “mafia-style operation to cover up the truth” and presented a detailed timeline of events following the disaster.

“We want to ensure that no crime goes unpunished,” she said, concluding with, “Thank you all. We will succeed.”

Dimitris Vervesos, president of the Athens Bar Association, also spoke to the crowd, stating: “We are here searching for oxygen. We are here to leave behind the era of cover-ups.”

Large crowds were also recorded in Thessaloniki, Crete, Larissa, Nafplio, Patra, and many other Greek cities.

Opposition parties lent their support to the protests, issuing strong statements against the government and urging citizens to join the demonstrations.

The leaked audio evidence suggested that approximately 30 of the 57 victims were still alive immediately after the Thessaloniki-bound intercity passenger train collided head-on with a freight train traveling in the opposite direction on the same line.

Reports indicate that these victims likely died later, possibly from asphyxiation or burns, as the collision triggered a massive explosion and fire. Experts hired by the victims’ families suggest that the freight train may have been carrying flammable materials that were not disclosed in the cargo report, adding further weight to the calls for a thorough investigation.