Thousands Continue to Protest in Greece Over Tempi Rail Disaster

Thousands of citizens gathered at Syntagma Square in central Athens at 12.00 noon on Sunday in another protest rally over the Tempi rail disaster, which claimed 57 lives on the night of February 28.

The rally was called by labor centers, federations, and unions.

The total number of participants was estimated at 15,000.

Συγκίνηση προκαλεί το μοιρολόι που παίζουν καλλιτέχνες στο μεγάλο συλλαλητήριο στο Σύνταγμα#Τεμπη_έγκλημα #τεμπη #απεργια_τεμπη pic.twitter.com/XfjFFmDNPw

— Π.Α.ΜΕ (@PAMEhellas) March 12, 2023

Protesters marched towards the headquarters of railway administrator OSE, near Omonoia Square.

Μεγάλη πορεία τώρα προς τα γραφεία του ΟΣΕ

Μετράμε νεκρούς στις ράγες των Τεμπών
αίμα για τα κέρδη των αφεντικών #Τεμπη_έγκλημα #τεμπη #απεργια_τεμπη pic.twitter.com/hTUpGBDJnj

— Π.Α.ΜΕ (@PAMEhellas) March 12, 2023

Thousands more protested in Thessaloniki and other major Greek cities.

Protesters called for an in-depth investigation into the collision; safer public transportation; and an end to privatization that puts profit over lives.

"Φυσάει κόντρα και στη Θεσσαλονίκη, όλοι στον αγώνα όλοι για τη νίκη" φωνάζουν οι διαδηλωτές ενώ προσπαθούν να συγκρατήσουν το πανό από τον ισχυρό αέρα.#antireport #Τεμπη_έγκλημα pic.twitter.com/pOrfGqSInP

— Chris Avramidis (@chris_avramidis) March 12, 2023

Thousands protest and go on strike in response to the Tempi rail disaster

The General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), representing private sector employee unions, has called a 24-hour strike on Thursday, March 16.

Another rally will be held at Syntagma Square at 11:00am that day, with the motto “all lives matter”.

“For all workers of Greece, the in-depth investigation and the attribution of accountability, as well as the implementation of measures to prevent having to mourn over lost human lives, is a key demand by society and will be the focus of our strike action,” GSEE said in a Press release.

“The three basic questions that should directly be answered are as follows: How did we get to this tragedy? Who is responsible? How can we prevent it from happening again?,” it said.

Railway remains a means of travel “that mostly serves the transport of workers, the youth, and the poor with low or non-existent income. The state has an obligation, if nothing else, to guarantee fundamentals: safety in travel and high-quality service,” GSEE concluded.