A protest over the Greek government’s response to the nation’s largest-ever train crash turned violent on Friday as scores of youths hurled rocks and gasoline bombs at police.

The fiery scenes took place in front of Greece’s parliament building in Athens during mass protests to mark the second anniversary of a devastating train crash in northern Greece that left 57 people dead. 

Following hours of peaceful rallies in the Greek capital, youths with hammers smashed paving stones, throwing the rubble and makeshift firebombs at police who responded with tear gas.

Riot police react to ignited Molotov cocktails thrown by demonstrators at a protest near the Greek parliament, marking the second anniversary of the country’s worst railway disaster. (REUTERS/Florion Goga)

Critics say that politicians should be held accountable for failures that led up to the crash, but so far only rail officials have been charged with any crimes.

“The government hasn’t done anything to get justice,” said Christos Main, 57, a musician at the Athens rally. “This wasn’t an accident, it was murder,” he said.

In one of the biggest protests in Greece in years, public services and many private businesses were brought to a halt and people poured into the streets of cities and towns chanting “murderers” against what they say is the state’s role in the disaster. The government denies wrongdoing.

Rail unions say the network has been poorly maintained despite rail service upgrades to provide faster trains in recent years.

The 2023 train disaster in Tempe saw a passenger train collide head-on with an oncoming freight train.

A drone view shows people gathering in front of the Greek parliament during a protest, marking the second anniversary of the country’s worst railway disaster, while an investigation continues, in Athens, Greece, February 28, 2025.  (via Reuters)

It was Greece’s worst railway accident and left dozens injured and exposed deficiencies in the country’s transportation infrastructure.

The trains crashed just before the Vale of Tempe, a gorge separating the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia. The train was traveling along Greece’s busiest route, from the capital Athens to the country’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The scene of the 2023 train crash (AP/Giannis Papanikos)