Chaos and anger erupted inside a courtroom in Larissa, Central Greece, where the long-awaited trial over the 2023 Tempe train disaster was halted before proceedings began, amid protests over suffocating conditions.

About 200 lawyers, more than 250 victims’ relatives, survivors, witnesses and at least 40 journalists crowded into the 283-square-meter hall, with tensions running high. The presiding judge managed to read only five names from the defendants’ list before repeated interruptions.

Participants complained the venue failed to meet basic standards, contradicting justice ministry assurances. Limited seating and poor visibility worsened the situation, while the proximity of defendants and victims’ families fueled confrontations.

Lawyers’ associations warned they could abstain unless a new venue is found. The court adjourned until April 1, leaving authorities to resolve what critics called an affront to the rule of law.

Source: Ekathimerini.com