Tens of thousands of people mobilize in Greece to protest the train accident

Police respond in Athens with tear gas to the throwing of Molotov cocktails and stones

MADRID, 8 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of different cities in Greece to protest the collision of two trains that left 57 dead last week, with scenes of particular tension in Athens, where protesters have thrown stones and Molotov cocktails at the security forces.

In the capital alone, some 30,000 people have marched to complain about the tragedy and denounce the role of the authorities. In Larisa, near where the incident occurred, the call has brought together some 10,000 protesters, according to public television ERT.

The mobilizations have left occasional clashes in Thessaloniki, Patras and, especially, in Athens. A group of protesters have thrown incendiary objects and devices at the agents, who in turn have responded with tear gas, in a series of incidents in the central Syntagma square --next to the Parliament-- and its surroundings.

The Greek Transport Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, announced on Wednesday the introduction of "urgency" measures to improve the safety of the railway system and its infrastructures after the collision of a passenger train and a freight train.

Gerapetritis, who was recently appointed after the resignation of the previous minister, has indicated that the Government plans to increase signaling on the railway network, among other issues. In addition, he has stated that passenger train operations will resume after the improvement of these security measures, which also includes the presence of two chiefs at each station.

In this sense, he has said he understands all those who have shown their discontent in recent days at what happened. "I would also express my anger and pain for what happened in Tempe. This is an unprecedented national tragedy, which scares us all because of the magnitude," she said.

The Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has explained that he has contacted the companies in charge of the system to address the matter, according to information from the newspaper 'Kathimerini'.