(ANSA-AFP) - ATHENS, FEB 28 - Violence on Friday marred a
huge demonstration in Athens to mark the second anniversary of
the country's worst rail tragedy, as youths threw firebombs and
clashed with riot police outside parliament. Nearly 200,000
people had turned out in peaceful protest to demand justice for
the 57 victims of the crash between a freight train and a
passenger train near the central city of Larissa on February 28,
2023. But the crowd, including children and the elderly, were
forced to disperse when several hooded attackers threw firebombs
and rockets at police, prompting them to respond with teargas
and stun grenades. The ambulance service said five people were
taken to hospital, including a photographer hit in the head by
one of the grenades. "The crowd was extremely packed and many
panicked," protester Sofia Yianniri told AFP. "We tried to get
people with children out." Police earlier said some 325,000
people had turned out nationwide in demonstrations described by
commentators as unprecedented in size and "historic". In the
capital, many were forced to walk several kilometres to join the
protest as subway trains heading downtown were already jammed
with passengers. (ANSA-AFP).
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