Church bells tolled, a 24-hour strike halted rail services, and tens of thousands of workers and students marched through the Greek capital city of Athens, on Wednesday (Feb 28) to mark the anniversary of the country’s deadliest train crash which killed 57 people and injured dozens more.

<h2>Protesters demand justice for victims</h2>

More than 30,000 striking Greek workers and students took to the streets in Athens while a 24-hour strike halted rail services across the country and disrupted urban transport in the Greek capital to commemorate the head-on collision on February 28, 2023.&nbsp;

The protesters demanded justice and bigger pay raises as they blamed official failings and an unsafe rail system for the deadly incident. “We don’t forget, we demand justice,” read the banner of those who marched in Athens.&nbsp;

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A year ago, a passenger train from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided head-on with a freight train. The collision led to the death of 57 people, many of them young students returning home after a long weekend.&nbsp;

The collision, which many see as the result of government neglect of railway safety systems and protocols&nbsp;despite years of warnings from rail workers, led to days of mass and often <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/murderers-thousands-of-protesters-clash-with-police-across-greece-over-deadly-train-collision-568358">violent protests</a>.&nbsp;

Churches across the country rang their bells 57 times, on Wednesday to represent the number of those killed.&nbsp;

<h2>24-hour strike</h2>

The strike on Wednesday was called by Greece’s largest public-sector union ADEDY which represents around half a million workers.&nbsp;

However, over the day, many others, including students joined the march and wrote the names of the people who lost their lives in front of the heavily guarded parliament.&nbsp;

Brief clashes were also reported between police and protesters in Athens and during a similar protest in Thessaloniki. &nbsp;

The union workers, including air traffic controllers, taxi drivers and public transport workers, were also protesting against what they said were insufficient pay rises, the first after 14 years in the public sector.&nbsp;

They said that the increases were not enough to offset the impact of rising living costs and called for a 10 per cent across-the-board hike.&nbsp;

<h2>‘Day of pain’</h2>

“Today is a day of pain,” Antonis Psaropoulos, whose 19-year-old daughter Marthi died in the collision, told AFP. “For all of us, time stopped on February 28, 2023, a cursed day... a black hole in time,” Psaropoulos added.&nbsp;

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A memorial service was also held at the crash site in the valley of Tempe, which is around 273 kilometres from Athens where grieving families of the victims and survivors left wreaths and flowers. “Fifty seven souls want justice,” read a placard at the ceremony.

<h2>‘National trauma’</h2>

The bells of every church in the country rang in the morning 57 times to mark this “national trauma” and “collective failure,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “As a prime minister, as a citizen and as a father, I share the country’s grief.”&nbsp;

Amid the ongoing investigation, there is no definitive account of what happened on that day and whose fault it was.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Church bells tolled, a 24-hour strike halted rail services, and tens of thousands of workers and students marched through the Greek capital city of Athens, on Wednesday (Feb 28) to mark the anniversary of the country’s deadliest train crash which killed 57 people and injured dozens more.

Church bells tolled, a 24-hour strike halted rail services, and tens of thousands of workers and students marched through the Greek capital city of Athens, on Wednesday (Feb 28) to mark the anniversary of the country’s deadliest train crash which killed 57 people and injured dozens more. Protesters demand justice for victims More than 30,000 striking Greek workers and students took to the streets in Athens while a 24-hour strike halted rail services across the country and disrupted urban transport in the Greek capital to commemorate the head-on collision on February 28, 2023. The protesters demanded justice and bigger pay raises as they blamed official failings and an unsafe rail system for the deadly incident. “We don’t forget, we demand justice,” read the banner of those who marched in Athens. Also Read | Express train runs over people in India's Jamtara, at least two dead A year ago, a passenger train from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided head-on with a freight train. The collision led to the death of 57 people, many of them young students returning home after a long weekend. The collision, which many see as the result of government neglect of railway safety systems and protocols despite years of warnings from rail workers, led to days of mass and often violent protests. Churches across the country rang their bells 57 times, on Wednesday to represent the number of those killed. 24-hour strike The strike on Wednesday was called by Greece’s largest public-sector union ADEDY which represents around half a million workers. However, over the day, many others, including students joined the march and wrote the names of the people who lost their lives in front of the heavily guarded parliament. Brief clashes were also reported between police and protesters in Athens and during a similar protest in Thessaloniki. The union workers, including air traffic controllers, taxi drivers and public transport workers, were also protesting against what they said were insufficient pay rises, the first after 14 years in the public sector. They said that the increases were not enough to offset the impact of rising living costs and called for a 10 per cent across-the-board hike. ‘Day of pain’ “Today is a day of pain,” Antonis Psaropoulos, whose 19-year-old daughter Marthi died in the collision, told AFP. “For all of us, time stopped on February 28, 2023, a cursed day... a black hole in time,” Psaropoulos added. Also Read | Alexei Navalny’s funeral to take place on March 1 in Moscow, his team confirms A memorial service was also held at the crash site in the valley of Tempe, which is around 273 kilometres from Athens where grieving families of the victims and survivors left wreaths and flowers. “Fifty seven souls want justice,” read a placard at the ceremony. ‘National trauma’ The bells of every church in the country rang in the morning 57 times to mark this “national trauma” and “collective failure,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “As a prime minister, as a citizen and as a father, I share the country’s grief.” Amid the ongoing investigation, there is no definitive account of what happened on that day and whose fault it was. (With inputs from agencies)

Greece: Church bells, 24-hour strike and protests mark a year since country’s worst train crash

Protesters clash with police outside parliament during rally against Macedonia deal

Demonstrations against US President Barack Obama&#39;s visit to Greece turned violent on Tuesday as protesters clashed with riot police in Athens.

Police fired teargas at protesters rallying a few kilometres from the presidential mansion where Obama was being hosted. The people tried to break the police barrier to reach the parliament and US embassy. Some demonstrators&nbsp;threw petrol bombs at the police.

About 7,000 people, among them anti-war, anti-racism, and leftist groups, communist party supporters, and labour union members&nbsp;were angry over the US&#39; stance on the war in Syria, US-Turkey relations and the election of Donald Trump and his stance on immigrants. They marched through the streets of central Athens holding banners reading &#39;Trump build a wall around your face&#39; and &#39;White supremacy is terrorism - no Trump&#39;, news agency Reuters reported.

On his last tour as the President of the United States, Obama offered solidarity with his Greek hosts by supporting debt relief for the recession-battered country. &nbsp;&quot;We cannot simply look to austerity as a strategy,&quot; Obama said after talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

But the protesters waved banners that read: &quot;We don&#39;t need protectors!&quot; and &quot;Yankees go home!&quot;

Obama&#39;s visit comes just two days before the anniversary of a bloody 1973 student revolt that helped topple the 1967-1974 military junta which was backed by the US government, Reuters reported.

Greece hopes Obama will be able to persuade its foreign creditors to restructure some of its debt, which stands at nearly 180 per cent of national output.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Thousands clashed with police protesting Obama's visit days ahead of the anniversary of a bloody 1973 revolt backed by the US

Demonstrations against US President Barack Obama's visit to Greece turned violent on Tuesday as protesters clashed with riot police in Athens. Police fired teargas at protesters rallying a few kilometres from the presidential mansion where Obama was being hosted. The people tried to break the police barrier to reach the parliament and US embassy. Some demonstrators threw petrol bombs at the police. About 7,000 people, among them anti-war, anti-racism, and leftist groups, communist party supporters, and labour union members were angry over the US' stance on the war in Syria, US-Turkey relations and the election of Donald Trump and his stance on immigrants. They marched through the streets of central Athens holding banners reading 'Trump build a wall around your face' and 'White supremacy is terrorism - no Trump', news agency Reuters reported. On his last tour as the President of the United States, Obama offered solidarity with his Greek hosts by supporting debt relief for the recession-battered country. "We cannot simply look to austerity as a strategy," Obama said after talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. But the protesters waved banners that read: "We don't need protectors!" and "Yankees go home!" Obama's visit comes just two days before the anniversary of a bloody 1973 student revolt that helped topple the 1967-1974 military junta which was backed by the US government, Reuters reported. Greece hopes Obama will be able to persuade its foreign creditors to restructure some of its debt, which stands at nearly 180 per cent of national output. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Greece violence: Protesters clash with police in Athens during Obama visit