Golden sunset
When the economic crisis is rampant, far-right parties become popular. They quickly rise thanks to the monotonous slogans that directly indicate the "guilty": migrants, Jews, Muslims, a corrupt government, the "fifth column", the supervising institutions of the European Union - and so on and so forth. With such a number of external and internal enemies (which, of course, will be crushed when political preachers take the helm), the declared party instantly gains a certain number of supporters and passes to parliament. Approximately it was with the Greek nationalist party “Golden Dawn”. However, the dawn was suddenly replaced by the sunset ...
Zare began in 1980, Nikolaos Michalolyakos. The party’s current ideology is simple: Greek nationalism based on anti-migrant, anti-multicultural, and anti-globalization slogans. In addition, short-haired, strong party members distribute food to the poor and patrol the streets of cities on foot and on motorcycles, beating migrants along the way. Both free food and cheeky cuffs for those who “have come to a hindrance” add to the movement fame and popularity.
The party does not recognize itself as fascist or neo-Nazi, although it is seen in love for the late German Führer, and Mein Kampf serves as one of the party’s programmatic texts. Today, Zarya has eighteen of the three hundred seats in parliament (the result of the repeated elections of the 2012 of the year). Moreover, the popularity of the party has recently grown: if at last year’s elections it received about seven percent of the votes, recently it was ready to vote for it, according to a poll, twice as many people.
But the attitude towards the party in society has cooled dramatically because of the murder.
September 18 rap musician Pavlos Fyssas was stabbed out of the bar. The fight, according to the investigation, was not just organized, but planned in advance by the participants of the Golden Dawn, who were sitting in the same cafe where Fyssas was. The latter was known for its anti-fascist views and opposed the “Dawn” patrol detachments.
There were dozens of attackers, and they behaved not only aggressively, but also, so to speak, fearlessly. Not in the sense that they were not afraid of Fyssas alone, but in that there were a lot of witnesses around. However, people are driven by fear. Self-preservation instinct has not been canceled. And the trick is that the number of witnesses of the fight began to melt like last year’s snow: after all, those who unleash their tongues can be slaughtered just like the unfortunate Pavlos.
The murder of the rapper and activist has caused popular unrest in Greece: tens of thousands of citizens took to the streets in protest. The reason for the demonstrations was the very fact of the killing of the anti-fascist, and, to put it mildly, the slowness of the police, who did not rush to investigate. Why are the law enforcement officers slow? And the casket just opened: many of them were associated with the “Golden Dawn” and even worked for it.
Mark Lowen ("BBC") in an Athens report, reports that an 22 party member has been arrested, including six members of parliament, including Nikolaos Michalolyakos. They were accused of belonging to a criminal gang, of murder, armed assault and money laundering. Among other things, the police reported that they had information about the involvement of the party leadership in the murder of Fyssas. And in the houses of those arrested there were pictures of Hitler and flags with a swastika.
The BBC journalists spoke to the former Golden Dawn supporter.
Once this woman was abused by a man and came to the party for support. There, one sympathetic person offered her help:
The woman did not like such proposals. Then the party member advised her to keep quiet, or he would “burn her alive”.
And this is what an immigrant from Pakistan says, who was attacked three times by neo-Nazis. Once they stabbed him with a knife - they almost fell into the heart. He claims that the police did not react, there was no investigation.
As the correspondent notes, in Greece, many are convinced that the police covered the actions of the participants of the "Dawn". During last year’s election, it was reported that in every district of Athens, every second of the police officers gave a vote for this party.
The murder of a musician hit the party rating. The popularity of the party fell sharply, falling immediately to 6%. Today, Zarya, which has lost due to leadership arrests, is going through hard times.
Daria Eremina ("Lenta.ru") says that for the murder of Fyssas, the police arrested Giorgos Rupakas, 45-year-old, one of the active supporters of the party (however, he was not a member of the party). In the network there are pictures where the alleged offender is posing surrounded by supporters of "Dawn". It turned out that this person participated in promotions for the free distribution of food.
The fact of the murder of Rupakias did not deny. He stated that he acted in self-defense. It was as if a group of people had attacked him - at that moment when he was trying to get into the car. Well, he poked a knife and the first who appeared in front of him. The witnesses of the incident have a different view of the case: they claim that Rupakias drove up in a car when the fight began and hit Fissas with a knife. Rupakias was charged with premeditated murder and unlawful carrying weapons.
D. Eremina also notes that a parallel investigation is being conducted in Greece regarding the military suspected of collaborating with neo-Nazis. Army supporters of the "Golden Dawn" supposedly teach comrades to use weapons. Rumors are circulating in the media that neo-Nazis have thrown together a three-thousand-strong army and are now going to start a war.
The result of all this was the authorities' attack on the “Golden Dawn”. Among those arrested were Nikolaos Michalolyakos and Christos Pappas. During a search, three guns without licenses, cartridges and 40 thousand euros in cash were found at Michaloljakos’s houses. Pappas found weapons, photographs of Hitler, a flag with a swastika. In addition to the party leaders, the 15 rank and file promoted the rank and file members. Issued arrest warrants for other road users.
The report of the prosecutor's office, referred to the Supreme Court, deals with the possible involvement of the party in ten murders and attempts, blackmail and money laundering. Many of the data of the prosecutor's office are based on the testimony of former members of the "Dawn". According to them, the party is a hierarchical criminal grouping. Its top is Michaloljakos nicknamed the Fuhrer and Pappos. The lower level - the formation of five people, each of them is the curator. Neo-Nazis have two training camps. The group responsible for silence is also active: no one should tell anything to strangers.
It is curious that the Golden Dawn, which beats immigrants, also benefits from them. The party provides a “roof” for visitors as a part of the income of traders who sell smuggled cigarettes.
As for the police, two high-ranking officers resigned "for personal reasons." Two others were fired. The ranks were also fired smaller by a total of seven.
In addition, one policeman was arrested. According to "Lenta.ru" with reference to France-Presse, searches of the offices of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn on the evening of September 24 were searched. An 45-year-old police officer was arrested and turned out to be the bodyguard of a party lawyer. Previously, this man was suspended from office because of suspicion of participation in neo-Nazi raids against migrant traders.
Galina Dudina (Kommersant) notes that the arrest of members of parliament occurred in Greece for the first time in the 40 years that have elapsed since the fall of the “black colonels” in 1974. The author cites the words of the surrendered deputy Pappas:
The party of neo-Nazis can now be banned.
“Although the probability of a party ban is high, the procedure will take time,” Professor Aristotle Callis, an expert on political extremism at the University of Lancaster, told Kommersant. - However, the problem of extremism in Greece is wider. Many supporters of the Golden Dawn do not agree with the extremist theses of the party, but support its anti-immigrant and nationalist positions. ” According to Kallis, an attempt to remove the party from the political scene threatens with a wave of right-wing violence. However, the same Kallis recalled: “The Greeks knew that members of the Golden Dawn were involved in the killings of migrants, however, having committed violence against a Greek citizen of Greece, they went to the“ red line ”, after which the party’s support began to decline sharply, for two weeks dropping to 6-8%. "
Of the last Athenian News It is known that now Mikhalolyakos remains under arrest, and many others in the case are released on bail or recognizance not to leave the place of residence.
As the correspondent reports. RIA News" Gennady Melnik, referring to the newspaper “Vima”, the judicial investigator left N. Mikhalolyakos and the head of one of the local branches of the party Georgios Patelis under arrest. Michaloljakos rejected all charges of the court and declared political persecution.
In the evening of October 2, the judicial investigator released four ordinary party members on bail. In addition, one was released without any restrictions. Earlier, in the afternoon, three of the four deputies of the Golden Dawn were released on a written undertaking not to leave; one more remained under arrest.
Also reported on the detention of October 2 Themis Skordeli, a former candidate for the party in one of the Athens districts. This woman is a police sergeant and works in the internal investigation department. Previously, she was accused of racist attacks on Afghans. The trial has been postponed eight times already; the new hearing date is January 22 2014. The names and addresses of migrants, the printed materials of the Golden Dawn and 145 thousand euros in cash were discovered in the house of Skordeli.
Another 60-year-old retired police officer was arrested. This man covered the far right. Threatening migrants with arrest and expulsion from the country, he forced those who suffered from the attacks of neo-Nazis to take statements from the police.
As for the possible ban of the party, then, as a correspondent writes. ITAR-TASS Yuri Malinov, the constitution of Greece does not provide for the possibility of such. The government cannot legally eliminate a party that has seats in parliament. Deputies, being arrested, retain both positions in the main legislative body and parliamentary immunity. The authorities are going to act as follows: to bring members of the party to court for the crimes that took place and to deprive the neo-Nazi party of state subsidies for the election campaign and functioning. In 2013, Zarya was to receive more than 873 thousand euros for these purposes.
The statements of Mikhaloljakos about non-involvement in the murder of a musician did not seem convincing to the judges. The court decided to place the leader of the ultra-right in the preliminary detention cell, accusing him of "creating and managing a criminal organization." In the bullpen at the General Police Department of Athens planted and Patelisa. Both will be held there until they determine which prison will be their home until the trial.
Zare began in 1980, Nikolaos Michalolyakos. The party’s current ideology is simple: Greek nationalism based on anti-migrant, anti-multicultural, and anti-globalization slogans. In addition, short-haired, strong party members distribute food to the poor and patrol the streets of cities on foot and on motorcycles, beating migrants along the way. Both free food and cheeky cuffs for those who “have come to a hindrance” add to the movement fame and popularity.
The party does not recognize itself as fascist or neo-Nazi, although it is seen in love for the late German Führer, and Mein Kampf serves as one of the party’s programmatic texts. Today, Zarya has eighteen of the three hundred seats in parliament (the result of the repeated elections of the 2012 of the year). Moreover, the popularity of the party has recently grown: if at last year’s elections it received about seven percent of the votes, recently it was ready to vote for it, according to a poll, twice as many people.
But the attitude towards the party in society has cooled dramatically because of the murder.
September 18 rap musician Pavlos Fyssas was stabbed out of the bar. The fight, according to the investigation, was not just organized, but planned in advance by the participants of the Golden Dawn, who were sitting in the same cafe where Fyssas was. The latter was known for its anti-fascist views and opposed the “Dawn” patrol detachments.
There were dozens of attackers, and they behaved not only aggressively, but also, so to speak, fearlessly. Not in the sense that they were not afraid of Fyssas alone, but in that there were a lot of witnesses around. However, people are driven by fear. Self-preservation instinct has not been canceled. And the trick is that the number of witnesses of the fight began to melt like last year’s snow: after all, those who unleash their tongues can be slaughtered just like the unfortunate Pavlos.
The murder of the rapper and activist has caused popular unrest in Greece: tens of thousands of citizens took to the streets in protest. The reason for the demonstrations was the very fact of the killing of the anti-fascist, and, to put it mildly, the slowness of the police, who did not rush to investigate. Why are the law enforcement officers slow? And the casket just opened: many of them were associated with the “Golden Dawn” and even worked for it.
Mark Lowen ("BBC") in an Athens report, reports that an 22 party member has been arrested, including six members of parliament, including Nikolaos Michalolyakos. They were accused of belonging to a criminal gang, of murder, armed assault and money laundering. Among other things, the police reported that they had information about the involvement of the party leadership in the murder of Fyssas. And in the houses of those arrested there were pictures of Hitler and flags with a swastika.
The BBC journalists spoke to the former Golden Dawn supporter.
“I saw batons and shields at rallies. All stretched out at attention, when the party leader entered the hall. They discussed beating up gay and black people. ”
Once this woman was abused by a man and came to the party for support. There, one sympathetic person offered her help:
“One of the party members came to me. He offered his services - to break someone’s leg or arm for 300 euros, set the car on fire - 1000 euros, send to the hospital - one and a half thousand. ”
The woman did not like such proposals. Then the party member advised her to keep quiet, or he would “burn her alive”.
And this is what an immigrant from Pakistan says, who was attacked three times by neo-Nazis. Once they stabbed him with a knife - they almost fell into the heart. He claims that the police did not react, there was no investigation.
“All because I am a foreigner. The police are not listening to us. If a Greek were stabbed with a knife, she would immediately find the culprit. Now I'm afraid to go out. I want to leave Greece where it is safer, maybe to England. ”
As the correspondent notes, in Greece, many are convinced that the police covered the actions of the participants of the "Dawn". During last year’s election, it was reported that in every district of Athens, every second of the police officers gave a vote for this party.
The murder of a musician hit the party rating. The popularity of the party fell sharply, falling immediately to 6%. Today, Zarya, which has lost due to leadership arrests, is going through hard times.
Daria Eremina ("Lenta.ru") says that for the murder of Fyssas, the police arrested Giorgos Rupakas, 45-year-old, one of the active supporters of the party (however, he was not a member of the party). In the network there are pictures where the alleged offender is posing surrounded by supporters of "Dawn". It turned out that this person participated in promotions for the free distribution of food.
The fact of the murder of Rupakias did not deny. He stated that he acted in self-defense. It was as if a group of people had attacked him - at that moment when he was trying to get into the car. Well, he poked a knife and the first who appeared in front of him. The witnesses of the incident have a different view of the case: they claim that Rupakias drove up in a car when the fight began and hit Fissas with a knife. Rupakias was charged with premeditated murder and unlawful carrying weapons.
D. Eremina also notes that a parallel investigation is being conducted in Greece regarding the military suspected of collaborating with neo-Nazis. Army supporters of the "Golden Dawn" supposedly teach comrades to use weapons. Rumors are circulating in the media that neo-Nazis have thrown together a three-thousand-strong army and are now going to start a war.
The result of all this was the authorities' attack on the “Golden Dawn”. Among those arrested were Nikolaos Michalolyakos and Christos Pappas. During a search, three guns without licenses, cartridges and 40 thousand euros in cash were found at Michaloljakos’s houses. Pappas found weapons, photographs of Hitler, a flag with a swastika. In addition to the party leaders, the 15 rank and file promoted the rank and file members. Issued arrest warrants for other road users.
The report of the prosecutor's office, referred to the Supreme Court, deals with the possible involvement of the party in ten murders and attempts, blackmail and money laundering. Many of the data of the prosecutor's office are based on the testimony of former members of the "Dawn". According to them, the party is a hierarchical criminal grouping. Its top is Michaloljakos nicknamed the Fuhrer and Pappos. The lower level - the formation of five people, each of them is the curator. Neo-Nazis have two training camps. The group responsible for silence is also active: no one should tell anything to strangers.
It is curious that the Golden Dawn, which beats immigrants, also benefits from them. The party provides a “roof” for visitors as a part of the income of traders who sell smuggled cigarettes.
As for the police, two high-ranking officers resigned "for personal reasons." Two others were fired. The ranks were also fired smaller by a total of seven.
In addition, one policeman was arrested. According to "Lenta.ru" with reference to France-Presse, searches of the offices of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn on the evening of September 24 were searched. An 45-year-old police officer was arrested and turned out to be the bodyguard of a party lawyer. Previously, this man was suspended from office because of suspicion of participation in neo-Nazi raids against migrant traders.
Galina Dudina (Kommersant) notes that the arrest of members of parliament occurred in Greece for the first time in the 40 years that have elapsed since the fall of the “black colonels” in 1974. The author cites the words of the surrendered deputy Pappas:
“I have nothing to hide and fear. The occupation government of subsidized agreements began political persecution with the help of so-called independent justice. But nationalism will win! Heil "Golden Dawn"! "
The party of neo-Nazis can now be banned.
“Although the probability of a party ban is high, the procedure will take time,” Professor Aristotle Callis, an expert on political extremism at the University of Lancaster, told Kommersant. - However, the problem of extremism in Greece is wider. Many supporters of the Golden Dawn do not agree with the extremist theses of the party, but support its anti-immigrant and nationalist positions. ” According to Kallis, an attempt to remove the party from the political scene threatens with a wave of right-wing violence. However, the same Kallis recalled: “The Greeks knew that members of the Golden Dawn were involved in the killings of migrants, however, having committed violence against a Greek citizen of Greece, they went to the“ red line ”, after which the party’s support began to decline sharply, for two weeks dropping to 6-8%. "
Of the last Athenian News It is known that now Mikhalolyakos remains under arrest, and many others in the case are released on bail or recognizance not to leave the place of residence.
As the correspondent reports. RIA News" Gennady Melnik, referring to the newspaper “Vima”, the judicial investigator left N. Mikhalolyakos and the head of one of the local branches of the party Georgios Patelis under arrest. Michaloljakos rejected all charges of the court and declared political persecution.
In the evening of October 2, the judicial investigator released four ordinary party members on bail. In addition, one was released without any restrictions. Earlier, in the afternoon, three of the four deputies of the Golden Dawn were released on a written undertaking not to leave; one more remained under arrest.
Also reported on the detention of October 2 Themis Skordeli, a former candidate for the party in one of the Athens districts. This woman is a police sergeant and works in the internal investigation department. Previously, she was accused of racist attacks on Afghans. The trial has been postponed eight times already; the new hearing date is January 22 2014. The names and addresses of migrants, the printed materials of the Golden Dawn and 145 thousand euros in cash were discovered in the house of Skordeli.
Another 60-year-old retired police officer was arrested. This man covered the far right. Threatening migrants with arrest and expulsion from the country, he forced those who suffered from the attacks of neo-Nazis to take statements from the police.
As for the possible ban of the party, then, as a correspondent writes. ITAR-TASS Yuri Malinov, the constitution of Greece does not provide for the possibility of such. The government cannot legally eliminate a party that has seats in parliament. Deputies, being arrested, retain both positions in the main legislative body and parliamentary immunity. The authorities are going to act as follows: to bring members of the party to court for the crimes that took place and to deprive the neo-Nazi party of state subsidies for the election campaign and functioning. In 2013, Zarya was to receive more than 873 thousand euros for these purposes.
The statements of Mikhaloljakos about non-involvement in the murder of a musician did not seem convincing to the judges. The court decided to place the leader of the ultra-right in the preliminary detention cell, accusing him of "creating and managing a criminal organization." In the bullpen at the General Police Department of Athens planted and Patelisa. Both will be held there until they determine which prison will be their home until the trial.
Observed and commented on Oleg Chuvakin
- especially for topwar.ru
- especially for topwar.ru
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