ATHENS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Greeks rallied in Athens and other cities on Saturday to mark the anniversary of a 2023 train crash, the country's deadliest rail disaster in history, demanding justice ahead of a criminal trial set to begin next month.
Trains and ferries came to a halt and urban transport was disrupted as workers walked off the job to join the demonstrations. Protesters laid flowers and held banners reading "Justice" outside parliament, where the names of the 57 victims - mostly students - have been spray‑painted in red on the ground.
The victims died when a passenger train and a freight train collided head-on at Tempi in central Greece.
The disaster has become a stark symbol of state failings, including safety lapses and years of neglect of the rail network.
Fuelled by mistrust of politicians, who are largely shielded from prosecution under Greek law, last year’s mass protests were the biggest in years.
Thousands of police officers were deployed in Athens on Saturday. Demonstrations were also held abroad.
"We seek one thing: Justice," said Pavlos Aslanidis, head of the victims' relatives association in a speech.
A judicial investigation concluded this year and dozens of non-politicians will stand trial on March 23 on charges ranging from traffic disruption leading to deaths to negligent manslaughter and causing bodily harm.
Protesters want reforms and political accountability. "It wasn't an accident, it was murder," read one banner in Athens.
Probes have found that a project co-funded by the European Union to install safety systems was launched in 2014 but was years behind schedule in 2023. Relatives have also accused authorities of trying to cover up evidence.
The centre-right government, which denies wrongdoing, says justice will shed light on the case and has pledged full railway reform by 2027.
(Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas; Editing by Louise Heavens)
