Emotional protests in Australia honour victims of Greece’s Tempi train tragedy

Melbourne .- Protests took place in the Australian cities of Sydney and Melbourne on Friday, February 28, as the Greek Australian community stood in solidarity with the families of the 57 victims of the Tempi train tragedy in Greece.

The protests mark the second anniversary of the Tempi train tragedy.

In Sydney, New South Wales, demonstrators gathered outside the offices of the Consulate of Greece to demand justice and accountability for the tragedy.

The protest featured chants, emotional readings of the names of those who lost their lives, and poetry recitals.

Among the speakers was Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris, who delivered a powerful speech condemning the Greek government’s handling of the incident.

The protest also saw participation from international Greek singer Rena Morfi, who is currently in Sydney after performing at the Greek Festival in Darling Harbour over the weekend.

Additionally, the Consul General of Greece in Sydney Ioannis Mallikourtis was called upon to be presented with resolutions from the community, with a representative attending on his behalf.

A representative for the Greek government went down to speak with protestors gathered.

Speaking with The Greek Herald, protestor Dennis Ferles, found out about the protest through our newspaper and shared why it was important for him to be there.

“As an Australian Greek, it’s important to rally and stand in solidarity, because we are Greek at the end of the day, regardless of where we grew up,” Dennis said. “I think people need to be held accountable.

Melbourne protest: A gathering of hundreds

More than 100 people gathered in Melbourne, Victoria to honour the victims and demand justice. Similar to Sydney, the event featured emotional readings of the victims’ names, chanting, and speeches.

The Greek Herald’s journalist Bill Roumeliotis captured the mood at the Melbourne protest. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Bill Roumeliotis.

Among the speakers were individuals who had lost loved ones in the tragedy, as well as Dimitris Tafidis, university students, and Rita Manasis, who all spoke passionately about the need for accountability and justice.

The protests in both cities demonstrated the deep connection between the Greek Australian community and Greece, as well as their determination to ensure the voices of the victims’ families are heard.

Source:greekherald.com.au/