On February 28, 2025, Athens became the epicenter of grief and anger as hundreds of thousands of Greeks took to the streets to mark the second anniversary of the nation’s deadliest train crash. What began as a somber remembrance quickly escalated into chaos when protesters clashed with riot police near the Greek parliament. Amid the turmoil, a Molotov cocktail struck a riot police officer, leaving him injured and underscoring the raw emotions fueling the demonstrations.
The protests were sparked by the tragic train collision on February 28, 2023, which claimed 57 lives, many of them young students. The disaster, caused by a passenger train colliding with a freight train in central Greece, has become a symbol of systemic failure. For years, Greeks have voiced frustration over the deteriorating state of the country’s infrastructure, accusing successive governments of neglect and mismanagement. Two years later, the pain remains fresh, and the demand for accountability has only grown louder.
As the sun set over Athens, the streets filled with chants and the acrid smell of smoke. Protesters hurled petrol bombs and set fire to trash cans, their anger spilling over into acts of defiance. Riot police, clad in heavy gear, formed lines to contain the unrest. In one harrowing moment, a Molotov cocktail landed near an officer, engulfing him in flames. Fellow officers rushed to his aid, extinguishing the fire and evacuating him for medical treatment. His condition remains unknown, but the incident has added another layer of tension to an already volatile situation.
The protests were not confined to Athens. Across Greece, workers walked off the job, joining strikes that brought cities to a standstill. Teachers, transport workers, and public sector employees united in their call for change, demanding safer infrastructure and justice for the lives lost. The train crash has become a rallying cry, a reminder of the human cost of systemic failure.
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