STORY: Tens of thousands of Greeks rallied in Athens and other cities on Saturday (February 28) 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.

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.

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 center-right government, which denies wrongdoing, says justice will shed light on the case and has pledged full railway reform by 2027.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: LARISSA, GREECE (FEBRUARY 28, 2026) (REUTERS – Access All)

1. (MUTE) DRONE VIEW OF RELATIVES AND SURVIVORS GATHERED FOR A MEMORIAL SERVICE NEXT TO THE TRAIN CRASH SITE

2. PRIESTS HOLDING MEMORIAL SERVICE SAYING (Greek): “MAY YOUR MEMORY BE ETERNAL”

3. A WOMAN CRYING IN FRONT OF HER RELATIVE’S PICTURE AS SHE EXCLAIMS (Greek): “MY TASSOS”

4. VARIOUS OF WOMEN HUGGING AT MEMORIAL SITE

5. WOMEN CRYING AT SITE

6. PEOPLE STANDING IN FRONT OF BANNERS COMMEMORATING THEIR DECEASED LOVED ONES

ATHENS, GREECE (FEBRUARY 28, 2026) (REUTERS – Access All)

7. (MUTE) VARIOUS DRONE VIEWS OF THOUSANDS DEMONSTRATING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT AND SURROUNDING STREETS IN ATHENS

8. VARIOUS OF MEMORIAL WITH FLOWERS AND CANDLES IN FRONT OF THE PARLIAMENT LISTING THE NAMES OF THE 57 VICTIMS

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) FATHER OF TRAIN CRASH VICTIM DENNIS, PANOS ROUTSI, SAYING:

“After three years, we are still enraged and angry, when we should have finished, and all those responsible for the killing of our children should be in prison.”

10. VARIOUS OF PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER READING (Greek): “I DON’T HAVE OXYGEN”

11. VARIOUS OF THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS

12. PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER READING (Greek): “I DON’T HAVE OXYGEN”

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) FATHER OF TRAIN CRASH VICTIM PANAGIOTIS, VASSILIS CHATZIHARALAMBOUS, SAYING:

“There are still a lot of questions left unanswered. While the case file is closed and the trial is set to start on the 23rd of March, there are no charges concerning the fire explosion and the fire itself, which is the cause of death of 27 people. If we don’t find out what these people died of, they will never get justice.”

14. BANNER READING (Greek and English): “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. THEIR PROFITS OR OUR LIVES”

15. PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER READING (Greek): “MUMMY THEY TOOK THE OXYGEN THAT YOU ONCE GAVE ME”

16. BANNER READING (Greek): “ALL THE STREETS SAY IT, YOU ARE MURDERERS”

17. PROTESTER HOLDING BANNERS STANDING ON PARLIAMENT SIDEWALL

18. THOUSANDS GATHERED AT PROTEST

19. BANNER READING (Greek): “THE RAILS OF DEVELOPMENT WERE PAINTED IN BLOOD, WE WILL NEVER FORGET THE CRIME AT THE RAILWAYS”

20. (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) COMMUNICATIONS & COMPUTERS UNION PRESIDENT, GIANNIS ANDREOU, 37, SAYING:

“Three years later we don’t have justice and this fills us with indignation and rage, but at the same time we know very well that for these 57 souls to get justice, we need to fight to the core the politics that has left the moral and actual culprits unpunished.”

21. PROTESTER WEARING A MASK SHOWING THE FACE OF PRIME MINISTER MITSOTAKIS IN FRONT OF THE PARLIAMENT

22. PROTESTERS HOLDING LARGE BANNER READING (Greek): “MURDERERS”

23. PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER READING (Greek): “CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THERE-TEMPI”

24. (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) STUDENT, VASSILIKI BOGA, 21, SAYING:

“I feel betrayed. I cannot accept that right now those responsible, the MPs and ministers of the New Democracy party, are eating with golden spoons, are living off of the millions they have stolen from the OPEKEPE scandal, while at the same time our lives are endangered on a daily basis.”

25. BANNER READING (Greek): “JUSTICE”

26. LARGE BANNER READING (Greek): “JUSTICE”

27. VARIOUS OF POLICE RUNNING / POLICE DETAINING PROTESTERS/ SCUFFLES BETWEEN POLICE AND PROTESTERS