On Wednesday, over 30,000 protesters hit the streets of Athens as unions called a 24-hour national strike to protest a tragic train accident, which took place on March 1, when college students were returning from their holidays.
RELATED:
Greece: Massive Protests Against Mitsotakis and Train Accident
Similar protests were held in several other cities, including Thessaloniki. They were organized by the Supreme Administration of Greek Civil Servants Trade Union (ADEDY), labor unions of mass transportation, and students' and teachers' associations.
Since morning, dozens of universities were occupied by students holding the conservative government headed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis directly responsible for the tragedy.
"We will overthrow you", "Assassins", and "Justice" were the predominant messages in shouts and banners that students raised on the facade of the rectory of the University of Athens.
The protests in front of the Greek parliament turned violent in the afternoon as the police began to crack down on the citizens. Molotov cocktails and tear gas created a chaotic atmosphere that continued into the night.
On Wednesday, Mitsotakis announced a set of measures aimed to improve the safety of railway system, in the wake of the train collision that resulted in 57 deaths.
He promised an increase in the state budget to address understaffing and shortage of railway equipment. His administration would step up procedures to fill in the gaps in the signaling network and upgrade the safety system.
He also apologized for the worst railway tragedy in Greece, pledging swift steps to complete all necessary works to upgrade the system and prevent such accidents in the future.