The mass rally commemorating the 57 victims of the tragic rail accident at Tempi concluded with a speech by the mother of one of the victims, Maria Karystianou, on Friday afternoon.
Crowds of people of all ages packed Syntagma Square and the surrounding streets during the two hours of the rally, demanding justice.
A major protest rally with large crowds of people filling Syntagma Square and the surrounding roads began in central Athens at around 11:00 on Friday, held to mark the second year since the tragic rail accident at Tempi and to pay tribute to the 57 people killed on that day with a demand for justice.
People of all ages congregated in the capital, while the presence of young people, students and school pupils was especially marked.
The rally began at 11:00, in response to a call by the victims and their families, but people and organisations started to assemble early in the day at various pre-assembly points in order to approach Syntagma in an orderly manner.
In a show of support, many shops, cafes and restaurants will stay shut on Friday, especially in the city centre where almost nothing is open. Theatres and other cultural venues will also be closed.
Rallies are also taking place in other Greek towns and cities, with residents of Larissa gathering in the central square under the banner “I have no oxygen”. In the northwestern Greek city of Ioannina, four generations met at the protest rally in the Ioannina central square, from babies to the very elderly, to demand “Justice for Tempi”, including farmers with their tractors.
A mass rally and march was held in Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki, starting at the Eleftherios Venizelos statue at 11:00 and followed by a march from the rail station via Agion Panton Street to the Macedonia-Thrace ministry.
In the port city of Patra, the third largest in Greece, the city’s Georgiou Square and the surrounding streets were also packed with protestors from all walks of life for the rally and subsequent march through the city.
Large rallies were held in Lamia, Heraklion, Rhodes, Volos, Chania and Lamia, as well as several smaller towns and villages.
Calls for Justice and Safer Rail Transport
Student representatives were the first to take the stage, as most of the victims were young people returning home or to their universities on that fateful night. Their speeches focused on the urgent need for justice, emphasizing that the memory of the victims must be honored through a full investigation into the causes of the tragedy.
“We stand with the families in their fight for truth and justice,” declared the student representatives, pledging their support for all efforts to bring accountability.
Vasilis Zavogiannis, representing the railway workers’ union, and Dimitris Kotsiaftis, representing OSE train drivers, also spoke, as their sector mourns colleagues lost in the crash. Both expressed solidarity with the victims’ families and echoed the widespread demand for safe transport and a modernized railway system.
Parents Speak with Heartbreak and Resolve
The most emotional moments came when grieving parents took the microphone. Mr. Papangelis, Ms. Routsis, Ms. Liva, Mr. Aslanidis, and especially Ms. Karystianou addressed both the crowd in Syntagma and those gathered in Tempi, where a live connection was established. Their words were met with respectful applause and expressions of solidarity, as the crowd joined them in their powerful message:
Many relatives also highlighted the ongoing struggles of those who survived the crash, some of whom remain hospitalized, while others continue to battle deep psychological scars from the horrific experience.
The massive gathering remained peaceful, demonstrating the utmost respect for the victims. The crowd swiftly rejected and condemned any attempts by small groups to disrupt the solemnity of the occasion, ensuring that the event maintained the dignity demanded by the anniversary.
Memorial Protests Abroad
Demonstrations in memory of the Tempi disaster victims are also taking place in major cities worldwide.
In Brussels, the rally will begin at 6 p.m. Greek time (5 p.m. local) at Place Luxembourg, in front of the European Parliament.
In Rome, the demonstration will take place near the central train station, starting at 4 p.m. local time.
In London, the gathering is set to commence at 8 p.m. Greek time (6 p.m. local time).
Similar events are being organized in other major capitals, reflecting the global impact of the tragedy and the ongoing demand for truth, accountability, and safer transport.
The Tempi train tragedy remains a national wound, and as the voices of students, workers, and grieving families continue to echo across Greece and beyond, their collective demand remains clear: justice, safety, and remembrance.
Source: ANA-MPA / Photos: EUROKINISSI
