Thousands protest in Athens over deadly train crash, demand accountability

By Derya Gulnaz Ozcan and Gizem Nisa Cebi

ATHENS / ISTANBUL (AA) - Thousands of demonstrators, mostly students, gathered in Athens on Wednesday to demand justice for the victims of a deadly train crash that killed 57 people two years ago in Greece.

The protest, organize​​​​​​​d by the Youth Branch of the Greek Communist Party (KNE), took place in front of Parliament, where demonstrators chanted slogans calling for accountability and the punishment of those responsible, accusing the government of negligence and failing to implement safety measures that could have prevented the disaster.

To honor the victims of the crash near Tempi, close to Larissa, protesters released sky lanterns into the night sky.

Tensions escalated when a group of demonstrators clashed with police, throwing stones, Molotov cocktails, and other objects while setting fire to trash containers. Police responded with tear gas, leading to at least two protesters requiring medical attention and multiple arrests.

Meanwhile, some protesters staged a sit-in in front of Parliament as lawmakers debated a no-confidence motion against the government.

Four opposition parties submitted the motion earlier in the day, accusing the government of failing to address infrastructure issues that led to the crash and not holding those responsible accountable in the two years since the disaster.

The no-confidence debate will continue for three days, with a confidence vote set for March 7.