Revolutions occur when the folks band collectively towards a corrupt authorities and demand change. Greece got here to an utter standstill over the weekend after a whole lot of hundreds of individuals took to the streets to demand solutions on the second anniversary of the nation’s deadliest rail catastrophe. It’s laborious to think about the sheer magnitude of those protests, that are believed to be the biggest in fashionable Greek historical past.
All flights have been suspended. Transportation providers have been unavailable. Public providers got here to an abrupt halt as everybody took to the streets. Political affiliation, race, gender, intercourse, faith, and each different class that governments use to divide the folks have been forgotten for a quick second in Greek historical past as everybody banded collectively towards the federal government. That is exactly what governments concern—the folks acknowledging that the federal government fairly than their neighbor is the issue.
For context, the tragic accident occurred on February 28, 2023, after a passenger practice struck a freight practice head-on close to Thessaloniki, claiming the lives of 57 folks. Nobody has been prosecuted, and the folks of Greece strongly consider that the federal government labored to cowl up the true causes of the crash. Two years of close to silence from the federal government induced tensions to boil till civil unrest turned inevitable.
The Greek persons are demanding transparency and accountability from their authorities NOW. Some consider that the practice could have been carrying unlawful flammable cargo, and 30 of the 57 victims, principally younger college students, could have survived the preliminary crash solely to burn alive within the hearth that erupted shortly after. Not solely ought to the railway officers be held accountable, however the political figures who’ve hindered any actual investigation should reply to the folks.
“We don’t overlook, we don’t forgive,” one signal learn, in keeping with Reuters. “Justice, not forgetting,” one other learn. Protestors in Athens wrote the names of the victims in pink on the streets. One other signal learn, “Privatizations kill,” and many individuals chanted, “I HAVE NO OXYGEN!” to honor one sufferer’s remaining telephone name to emergency providers earlier than being consumed by the fires.
Protests have been additionally held at over 100 Greek embassies and consulates internationally. A map of protests throughout six continents was published on Google for all to see. Some consider over 430,000 folks took to the streets of Athens alone. The whole nation got here to a halt as everybody joined forces to demand solutions from their authorities. And guess what? The federal government was pressured to reply to the folks. As a reminder, elected officers are speculated to SERVE THE PEOPLE who they elected to characterize them fairly than their very own self pursuits, however we not often see that happen.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis initially blamed human error for the crash and virtually dismissed the occasions, citing that the justice system would correctly deal with the matter in time. His tune has since modified. He’s acknowledging that his administration has been within the flawed. “The residents demanded the plain: fact and justice for the victims, a state that takes motion to make sure such a tragedy isn’t repeated, and secure and fashionable public transport,” the prime minister said, later including, “Greece can’t function with half-measures and improvisation. With a system that reacts solely after the worst has occurred, that waits for crises to mobilize. The State has an obligation to anticipate, to not run behind developments. A collective accountability, however above all my very own.”
This sensible historic name for justice exhibits the power of the folks as a collective. There’s a motive this isn’t a prime information story worldwide. If the folks weren’t divided, they might understand that governments are pinning us towards each other for a motive. They try to defend us from the reality, silence us from talking, and slowly repeal our freedoms to realize energy. However energy is sure to switch, and governments can solely tighten their grip on it for therefore lengthy till it’s pressured out of their arms. Utilizing each software at their disposal, governments in all places aggressively divide the folks to take care of their energy, as they know the folks can and can overpower them when united. That is exactly how REAL change and revolutions occur.
