By Marina Catsamba
Athens, Greece
February 28th, 2025. A day of grief for Greece. It marked the two-year anniversary of what was the deadliest train crash in Greece’s history. There were over 57 victims: regular citizens, mostly young of age. The head-on collision happened between two trains in the south of the Tempe Valley in Greece, about halfway between the Greek villages Tempi and Evangelismos in the Thessaly region. The collision involved the passenger train, InterCity 62, operated by Hellenic Train, and an intermodal freight train. There were 342 passengers on InterCity, with 10 onboard railway staff, and two people on the freight train, totalling 354 people on both trains. After the tragic incident, information started surfacing about the dangerous condition of train infrastructure in Greece. The inability of the Greek government to improve it and, after the crash, deliver justice and hold those at fault accountable has sparked rage within Greece and the Greek diaspora. There has even been evidence of the government trying to undermine and hide the true severity of the problem of unsafe train tracks in Greece.
Back in 2023, Kostas Karamanlis, then Minister for Transportation and Communications, claimed that safety was guaranteed when travelling by rail in Greece. The previous minister had resigned, as workers had claimed that something was very wrong with the safety systems of the railways. After railways were privatized under dubious circumstances, there had been a lack of proper safety inspections, and legal contracts were left not properly completed. Researchers have discovered that had these contracts been completed, the crash could have been avoided. Under Mr. Karamanlis, the Greek railway industry came under very lax scrutiny. Eight days later, the collision took place.
Instead of properly securing the area after the crash for investigation, it was discovered that there were orders to “clean” the place. Αn altered voice message was found, which was made to leave the impression that this was merely the fault of the station master. He did bear some responsibility, for he was placed in his post due to ties with the government, but it was not solely him. He lacked the necessary knowledge to undertake the job, and the law was altered for that to happen. The contents of the freight train were kept secret because the materials in it contributed to a fire right after the crash, which was actually what killed the majority of the victims. This was discovered by parents, who, while mourning their children, with the help of their lawyers, managed to find out part of the truth. One should also note that within the European Union, 170,000 euros are spent on every kilometre of a railway line, but in Greece, only 20,000. Yet somehow, the government denied that if it had had the legal contracts completed, the crash would have been avoided.
Ever since the collision, numerous protests, gatherings, and strikes have been held. On Friday 28th 2025, the centre of Athens became the ground for all those who had been hurt by the injustice to come together and shout outside of the Hellenic Parliament, demanding action to be taken against those responsible within the government. It was one of the largest protests to ever be held in Greece, with over 20,000 people attending. One could see adults, the elderly, the youth, and even children being brought by their parents. Of course, protests took place in other Greek areas as well, such as Thessaloniki, Larissa, Messolonghi, Pyrgos, Irakleio, Volos, Ioannina, Patra, and Lamia.
Public schools remained closed for the entirety of that Friday. Previously in that week, they organized events, such as moving dramatic pieces for the Tempi train crash, banner making, and symbolic actions, such as organizing their students in the break to form the number 57 with their bodies, as a way of remembering the victims. The subway was working from 9 am-5 pm to transport protesters. Stores were closed as a form of strike, and all other Greek means of transportation: boats, flights to Greece, taxis and buses abstained from working. Some taxis were working to transport protesters at the Athens square for free as a way of expressing their understanding and sympathy for those affected by the tragedy. Citizens from other fields of work abstained from working as well in solidarity with protesters. Entertainment events, such as plays, were cancelled as a way of raising awareness.
During the protest, speeches were given from family members of the victims, who said that they would not stop protesting until justice was delivered. Many gave statements to the reporters covering the gathering, saying a heartfelt “thank you” to all those who were present with them, and emphasizing how the people responsible for what happened have not answered to anyone. The slogan of the gathering? #nooxygen. It was written on almost every banner. These were words of sorrow, for footage was released back in 2023 of a young passenger girl on the InterCity train, screaming she had no oxygen in the train. This is because of the fire that broke out right after the crash.
However, violence was bound to erupt at the Friday protest. First, one should mention that the Greek police tried to take measures against any physical violence. A branch of the police force called MAT (stands for Unit of Restoring Order) was present with two times as many officers than in usual protests, and at the Athens square there were searches of people’s belongings and even helicopters. Some incidents may have been prevented, because the police found explosives and Molotov cocktails in people’s bags. Still, brawls were sparked, and tear gas, Molotov cocktails, and other explosives were thrown into the crowd. There were over 15 fainting episodes, panic attacks and other injuries. These disruptive groups were there from the beginning of the protest, then put black hoods on, and started wreaking havoc. Youths with hammers smashed paving stones and threw rubble and makeshift firebombs at the police. The police responded with tear gas, trying to contain the chaos and break the protest up. Ambulances arrived and tried, in all the mayhem, to treat the wounded, though with difficulty. The subway closed earlier than planned, and by 13:00 p.m. protesters started going home for fear of their lives. There were also peaceful protests in the UK, in the Netherlands, in South Korea, in France, and various other countries in support of the protest in Athens.
One slightly positive result of all this systematic unfairness and political corruption in Greece could be that people were reminded of the power they hold collectively. They exercised their right to “insurrection” because of inaction in the government. Citizens who attended the rally, whether they were personally affected by the tragedy of 28th February 2023 or not, and especially the youth, were not hesitant to stand on the front line and demand justice. This can serve as a beacon of hope for the future of my country.
The Greek people will continue to pursue justice and more stringent regulation of means of everyday transport. Let this be a reminder to all people that when they act together, they can and will always leave an indelible political mark.
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