Greeks, other Europeans rally against far-right party
Hundreds of Greeks and activists from 19 other European countries took to the streets of Athens on Saturday in protest against a far-right party that critics fear could feed extremism across the continent.
The rally against Golden Dawn, viewed by many as one of the more dangerous groups of reactionaries in Europe, comes amid reports of increased vigilantism and attacks on migrants waged by its members and supporters since the party catapulted onto Greece’s tumultuous political landscape in June, winning 18 seats in the nation’s 300-member parliament.
“We’re not denying the fact that Golden Dawn was elected to parliament. Nor do we aspire to physically oust them from the chambers of democracy,” said Benjamin Abtan, the chief organizer and president of the European Grassroot Antiracist Movement. “But Greeks have to realize that they are neo-Nazis and that their success story will whet the appetite of other far-right extremists in Europe.Racism, anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism are growing without any strong and determined mobilizations from the democrats.”
“Nor do we suck the blood of foreigners,” he added, fiddling with a key chain that features a replica of a Bereta handgun. “We are Greek patriots, true nationalists and we practice what we preach: a Greece for Greeks only.”
http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-73710226/
Thanks to the left in Europe for continuing to shine a light on the tactics of the far-right.
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