This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-greece-a-low-grade-street-war-brews-with-neo-nazi-golden-dawn-party/2014/02/03/c2329550-8cdb-11e3-98ab-fe5228217bd1_story.html?wprss=rss_world
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| In Greece, a low-grade street war brews with neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party | In Greece, a low-grade street war brews with neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party |
| (7 months later) | |
| When last I came to the shadow of the Acropolis in October 2012, the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party was in full ascent. The menacing Greek nationalists known for their black uniforms and modified swastikas were opening a network of political offices and distribution centers across Greece. Unchecked by the police — or, as some say, aided by them — the party’s followers were openly marauding through immigrant neighborhoods in nightly reigns of terror. | When last I came to the shadow of the Acropolis in October 2012, the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party was in full ascent. The menacing Greek nationalists known for their black uniforms and modified swastikas were opening a network of political offices and distribution centers across Greece. Unchecked by the police — or, as some say, aided by them — the party’s followers were openly marauding through immigrant neighborhoods in nightly reigns of terror. |
| I came back to find the streets of Athens still very much under threat from these highly stylized Hellenic storm troopers, who are part of a wave of far-right nationalists gaining strength across Europe. In September, a suspected Golden Dawn activist stabbed the anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas to death in his Athens neighborhood. Last month, several dozen Golden Dawn loyalists marched through that same neighborhood, tearing down a banner honoring the rapper and attacking a well-known haunt of Greek anarchists. And this weekend, the group announced a new party called National Dawn, which is designed to get around a potential ban on the party. | I came back to find the streets of Athens still very much under threat from these highly stylized Hellenic storm troopers, who are part of a wave of far-right nationalists gaining strength across Europe. In September, a suspected Golden Dawn activist stabbed the anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas to death in his Athens neighborhood. Last month, several dozen Golden Dawn loyalists marched through that same neighborhood, tearing down a banner honoring the rapper and attacking a well-known haunt of Greek anarchists. And this weekend, the group announced a new party called National Dawn, which is designed to get around a potential ban on the party. |
| As a low-grade street war brews between the far left and the far right here, there is an ever-present risk that crisis-plagued Greece could descend deeper into political violence. | As a low-grade street war brews between the far left and the far right here, there is an ever-present risk that crisis-plagued Greece could descend deeper into political violence. |
| And yet, in recent months, authorities appear to have awakened to the threat posed by the Golden Dawn. Six of the party’s elected members of parliament — including party leader Nikos Michaloliakos — have been jailed pending trial on charges of forming and running a criminal organization. A trove of data collected from the cellphones and laptops of arrested members contained photos of Golden Dawn recruits at training camps posing with assault weapons and giving Nazilike salutes. A recent law passed by parliament effectively stripped Golden Dawn of the state funding doled out to political parties. | And yet, in recent months, authorities appear to have awakened to the threat posed by the Golden Dawn. Six of the party’s elected members of parliament — including party leader Nikos Michaloliakos — have been jailed pending trial on charges of forming and running a criminal organization. A trove of data collected from the cellphones and laptops of arrested members contained photos of Golden Dawn recruits at training camps posing with assault weapons and giving Nazilike salutes. A recent law passed by parliament effectively stripped Golden Dawn of the state funding doled out to political parties. |
| At the same time, support for the neo-Nazi party among Greeks has vacillated. After Fyssas’s murder, approval ratings for the party plummeted. But after apparent retribution killings of two of Golden Dawn members a few weeks later, public sympathy for the party appeared to rebound. Some recent polls show support in the low double-digit range, slightly off their highs but not by much. | At the same time, support for the neo-Nazi party among Greeks has vacillated. After Fyssas’s murder, approval ratings for the party plummeted. But after apparent retribution killings of two of Golden Dawn members a few weeks later, public sympathy for the party appeared to rebound. Some recent polls show support in the low double-digit range, slightly off their highs but not by much. |
| The big test now, political watchers here say, will be two important elections in May — one for local offices and the other for the European parliament. | The big test now, political watchers here say, will be two important elections in May — one for local offices and the other for the European parliament. |
| The elections will be “a litmus test for how the Golden Dawn is doing in Greece,” said Nick Malkoutzis, a political commentator and deputy editor of the Kathimerini newspaper’s English edition. “There is a fear within the Greek political mainstream that because people tend to vote more freely in local and European parliament elections, a sizable amount of Greeks may vote for them just to give the establishment a slap in the face.” | The elections will be “a litmus test for how the Golden Dawn is doing in Greece,” said Nick Malkoutzis, a political commentator and deputy editor of the Kathimerini newspaper’s English edition. “There is a fear within the Greek political mainstream that because people tend to vote more freely in local and European parliament elections, a sizable amount of Greeks may vote for them just to give the establishment a slap in the face.” |