AJC: Golden Dawn Endangers Greece

Press releases

AJC: Golden Dawn Endangers Greece

September 25, 2013 – New York – Golden Dawn, the Greek neo-Nazi political party, has threatened Greece’s Jewish community in an online article that AJC views as another alarming indication of the dangers the party poses to Greek society.

“Golden Dawn is a clear and present threat to Greece,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “This should not be in any doubt.” The latest Golden Dawn threat comes as the party, which holds 18 seats in the Greek parliament, has come under scrutiny following the murder of a popular Greek singer, Pavlos Fyssas. A Golden Dawn member has been arrested for the crime. The Greek Government has also opened an investigation into allegations that members of the country’s police force are actively involved with the party.

An article on the party’s website accused the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS) of “orchestrating the recent anti-nationalist hysteria” against Golden Dawn. “We call upon KIS not to get involved in the Greek affairs,” Golden Dawn declared. “Imagine the sheer gall of this extremist party telling other Greeks that they have no place in public life, no right to speak their mind,” Harris added. “The Jewish community will not be silenced or intimidated.”

The Golden Dawn threat came in reaction to KIS press release that called on all Greek political parties to cooperate in passing “strong and effective legislation that will combat racism, intolerance and anti-Semitism.”

KIS also called for legislative action to ban political parties that promote Nazi ideology. Proposed anti-racism legislation has been under debate in the parliament for months, and the government of Prime Minister Samaras has vowed to press for its adoption.

Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, addressing the AJC Global Forum in Washington, DC, in June, said: “No one should ever believe that the country, which gave birth to democracy and respect for the human being, which has become the best example of resistance against Nazism, would ever tolerate and allow the revival of hatred and racism.”