Clashes between protesters and police, stationmaster in custody in Greece
Fierce clashes broke out Sunday between police and protesters in Athens on the sidelines of a rally after the 28 February train disaster that killed 57 people, sparking outrage across the country even as Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologised to the families of the victims, AFP and Agerpres note.
In Larisa, the nearest town to the crash site, the stationmaster blamed for the fatal error was charged with alleged responsibility for "the death of a large number of people", an offence punishable by ten years to life in prison under the Greek penal code.
He was remanded in custody. A lawyer for the man said his client was heard by investigators for more than seven hours on Sunday.
The stationmaster acknowledged that he mistakenly changed platforms, which led to a collision between a passenger train and a freight train. It is the worst rail accident in Greek history.
Workers on Greece's railways are on strike for the fifth day in a row on Monday to protest the state of the country's rail network. Unions say safety standards have worsened over the years and the railway system is in urgent need of modernisation and public investment.
