“I have no oxygen.” These words echoed across Greece and beyond as hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets on Sunday, 26 January, demanding justice for the victims of the Tempe train disaster. From Athens to Thessaloniki, Patras to Berlin, demonstrators gathered in one of the largest coordinated protests in recent years, calling for accountability, transparency, and an end to impunity.

Mass mobilisation across Greece

At Syntagma Square in Athens, the heart of the protests, 30,000 people (according to police accounts) assembled outside Parliament, chanting and holding banners in support of the Association of Relatives of Tempe Victims. Families of the 57 victims, killed in the February 2023 rail disaster, led the demonstrations, demanding:

  • An immediate investigation into reports that illegal chemical cargo contributed to the explosion and fire that engulfed the train.
  • Explanations from former Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas regarding the alleged concealment of case files related to the disaster.
  • Full accountability for those responsible for the failures in railway safety that led to the tragedy.
Tens of thousands of protesters in front of the Greek Parliament at Syntagma Square in Athens
Tens of thousands of protesters in front of the Greek Parliament at Syntagma Square in Athens

Maria Karystianou, a leading voice among the victims’ relatives, addressed the crowd, stating:

“We thank all Greeks, wherever they are, for this support. It gives us incredible strength to know we are not alone. Our voices will not be silenced. No crime will ever go unpunished again.”

Thousands also marched in Thessaloniki, with a demonstration from Kamara to the New Railway Station, marking one of the city’s largest protests in years.

 

Tens of thousands of protesters in Thessaloniki
Tens of thousands of protesters in Thessaloniki

In Serres, protesters stood outside the office of former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis, reading aloud the names of the 57 victims.

Demonstrations swept across the country, with major gatherings in Patras, Ioannina, Volos, Larissa, Kalamata, and dozens of smaller towns, totalling over 180 rallies nationwide. In Patras, Mayor Kostas Peletidis declared:

“This crime will not be forgotten. Today, we make it clear that we will not let it be buried.”

International solidarity: Protests in Germany and across Europe

The movement for justice has also spread beyond Greece, with solidarity protests in Berlin and Cologne. The Auswärts-Away solidarity group joined the call, demonstrating in Heumarkt Square, Cologne, and outside the Greek Embassy in Berlin, where over 500 people gathered.

Their message was clear:

“Two years later, not only have those responsible not been held accountable, but we are witnessing a systematic cover-up. Train carriages are disappearing, material is being destroyed, videos are edited, testimonies are buried. We demand justice.”

A growing movement: “We will win”

Nikos Plakias, whose twin daughters and niece were killed at Tempe, expressed his gratitude for the massive turnout, vowing to continue the fight:

“Today, I was steeled. So were all the families who were there. Now, I am sure—we will win. Our loved ones are not forgotten. Those responsible must begin to fear. The final battle will be fought in the courts, and that is where we will need you more than ever.”

 

As the protests ended, tension briefly flared in Athens, where Molotov cocktails were thrown and police responded with flashbang grenades. But the overwhelming message of the day remained one of unity and resilience.

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