Far-right groups vying to fill Golden Dawn vacuum
A number of far-right organizations are vying to fill the vacuum created by the decline of Greece’s neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, according to a confidential report of the Greek Police (ELAS) seen by Kathimerini, which also sees a rise in the number of far-right supporters in recent years.
“Existing organizations are trying to take advantage of Golden Dawn’s waning influence in order to attract persons into their ranks,” the report says.
According to the report, the appeal of the far-right in Greece is a result of the ten-year financial crisis, the large presence of foreign migrants, the crisis of Islamic extremism in Europe and the country’s name deal with what is now North Macedonia.
A total of 16 far-right groups are identified in the report. Most of the organizations are headquartered in Athens and Thessaloniki, while two are based in Kavala and Katerini in northern Greece.
Several of their members have in the past been convicted in connection with assaults against police officers and migrants, as well as vandalism attacks on party offices, anarchist hangouts and Jewish sites, the report says.
A total of 18 former Parliament members from Golden Dawn were convicted last week of leading a criminal organization, or simple membership, and face sentences of between five and 15 years in prison.
