Greek chaos provides opening for neo-Nazi party......
My Greek-American son and his wife live on a quiet Greek island in the Aegean, which much to their surprise, had voted around 10% for the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn in the last election. Golden Dawn came to their island last week to rally supporters, to be met with a protest group of around 400 "antifascists", yelling no to fascism. Golden Dawn has the support of many in the police force, unfortunately. Around 40 riot special forces police went sent from Athens to protect Golden Dawn members, in what was a peaceful protest. However, police used tear gas against the protesters and one policeman used a club on a young Greek girl.
Society in Greece is stretched to the limit by all the austerity measures put in place, with new taxes and many price increases, medicines in short supply, some unable to pay for electric power or for oil to heat their homes, many in private and public employment not being paid for months.
For Greece thus far, there is little if any hope in sight for better living, and the political structure there is changing in ways that are very frightening. For a country that lived under the military junta for years, with a military coup having taken over one morning when Athenians awakened to the tanks filling the streets it is even more troubling that the Golden Dawn neo-Nazi party is gaining more support and power.
Warning: The video below is "Racist and violent ---- the true face of Golden Dawn”
Greek far-right Golden Dawn member: 'We will turn immigrants into soap'
The neo-Nazi's slogan is "Greece: Only for the Greeks." The party's symbol is similiar to the Germany's Nazi swastika, and their salute also like the Nazis.
Golden Dawn rising.....
Greece’s neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party is gaining popularity in the midst of the country’s deepening financial crisis.The group has been implicated in torture cases, and for inciting an wave of racial violence sweeping the country. An opinion poll published by KAPA Research in October showed that support for the extremist political group had grown from 7.5 percent of the population in June to 10.4 percent currently. The Golden Dawn emerged from political obscurity into the mainstream in May after winning 7 percent of the vote in the Greek parliamentary elections. Since then, the country has reportedly witnessed an upsurge in racial violence connected to the right-wing group.
Latest opinion polls show the popularity of the party - the first ultra-nationalist group to enter parliament since a military junta was overthrown in 1974 - has risen since the last election in June, when Golden Dawn won 18 seats in the 300-seat parliament with 7 per cent of the vote. A survey by VPRC, an independent polling company, put support for Golden Dawn at 14 per cent in October, making it third most popular party.
Now Golden Dawn is suddenly everywhere. Its eight local offices at election time have become 60 nationwide. It is polling consistently as the third most popular party at 12%. Its parliamentarians have threatened to "drag migrant children from the kindergartens," and requested a list of the kindergartens with high migrant numbers. This, the Greek education ministry has willingly provided. And the police are reportedly in on it, which means victims have virtually nowhere to turn. Panagiotaros told Mason that he estimates 50-60 percent of the Greek police force supports Golden Dawn, and "every day it is growing," – which means they don't get involved when Golden Dawn is doing damage. Some Greeks claim terrible mistreatment at the hands of police who openly boast their allegiance to Golden Dawn as well.
Golden Dawn, gaining legitmacy in a deeply frustrated nation. Greek chaos provides opening for far-right party. Journalists were told to stand up in a sign of respect while the party leader made a grand entrance. Nikolaos Michaloliakos, gave a rambling speech which included the proclamation that the official account of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz was widely exaggerated.
The Rise of 'Golden Dawn' in Greece - Mini-documentary by 'The Guardian'
Are Greek Police 'Colluding' With Far Right Golden Dawn
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