Rail workers complain about bomb shrine

1 June 2004

MADRID – Workers at Madrid’s Atocha railway station say a shrine commemorating victims of the 11 March train bombings is affecting their nerves, it was reported Wednesday.

In an open letter, they said the shrine was a painful reminder of the attacks and should be removed.

They said they would never overcome the pain if they had to face the constant sight and smell of thousands of candles, flowers, messages and toys.

The bomb attacks left 191 people dead and injured nearly 2,000.

In the letter, published by several Spanish newspapers on Tuesday, 79 employees at the station called for the impromptu shrine to be replaced by a plaque.

“Day after day, for hours at a time, and amid the smell of candles that permeates our lungs like a malign fluid, we try, often in vain, to avoid looking over in the direction of this permanent reminder which shreds our nerves,” they wrote.

They suggested building a permanent memorial nearby, which would show “respect for the memory of the dead and the grief of the survivors”.

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Subject: Spanish news