The convicted criminal organisation and former parliamentary party Golden Dawn is preparing a major public protest with hundreds of followers expected to flood the streets along with members of other fascist and neo-Nazi groups in a show of force in Thessaloniki, which last week was rocked by the of attacks of far-right storm troops at professional lyceums in the northern port city.
The demonstration will mark the first anniversary of the conviction of the group and its leaders.
An expose in last Sunday’s edition of To Vima revealed that there are at least seven extreme-right and neo-Nazi organisations being probed by Greek Police in the city, which along with other groups number an estimated 5,000 individuals.
Campaign to infiltrate schools
According to teachers and students, members of Golden Dawn and other fascist groups have for some time been attempting to infiltrate Thessaloniki schools to recruit students, just as they did before the party was declared a criminal organisation by the Athens Appellate Court.
They also are believed to have played a lead role in the attacks against the Thessaloniki lyceums.
Attacks on Communist Party Youth members, anti-fascist group
After that, there were attacks on Greek Communist Party Youth (KNE) members and on members of KEERFA (Movement United Against Racism and the Fascist Threat) in the Ilioupolis area of Thessaloniki on 4 October.
Now, Golden Dawn is attempting to capitalise on these attacks and to make its presence strongly felt, despite the conviction of its leaders and other members in October, 2020.
Golden Dawn announcement
According to an announcement on the website of Golden Dawn’s youth branch (“Youth Front”), the show of force is scheduled for 8pm on 8 October.
The call toward Thessaloniki fascists and neo-Nazis states that various other groups will be participating– the Youth Front, the Movement of Nationalist Lawyers, representatives of nationalist local government factions, and the [Golden Dawn] cells in Northern Greece.
