Names of Tempe train crash victims written on Syntagma square erased
A decision to wipe away the names of the 57 victims of the 2023 train crash at Tempe which had been written in red on the pavement of Syntagma Square, central Athens, during a rally on Wednesday to mark the one-year anniversary of the accident triggered angry reactions from the public.
Roxani Bey, deputy mayor of cleaning and recycling of the Municipality of Athens, said on Thursday the names were removed by a municipal cleaning crew that is deployed after rallies and protests, but added that it was invited by the official Parliament guard.
“I categorically state that I never ordered anything like this to happen and I was never informed of this unjustified action, which I strongly oppose. The criticism leveled is absolutely justified,” Bey said and apologised to the families of the victims.
