Golden Dawn

Golden Dawn is an extremist Greek party that has absolutely nothing to do with Nazism or fascism (in the same way Ted Haggard is completely heterosexual).They even used a version of a Nazi anthem when handing out food to "Greeks only." Golden Dawn plays Nazi anthem at food handoutDon't take our word for it! The primary objective of the Golden Dawn is to "rid the land of filth." Of course, they assure the media that filth stands for the economic crisis, not non-Greeks (and non-sufficiently-Greeks), probably. After the 2012 elections, the party got 18 of 300 seats in the Hellenic Parliament, the first time they'd ever been in it. After losing ground in subsequent elections, they fell below the 3% electoral threshhold in the 2019 election and lost their seats.
Anarchists have repeatedly tried to kick Golden Dawn's ass, and on some occasions succeeded in driving them away.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNnI1XTr2xs
In October 2020, after a five year trial, seven Golden Dawn leaders were convicted of heading a criminal group. Leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos was convicted of murder, and fifteen other members of the group were convicted of conspiracy.Greece Golden Dawn: Neo-Nazi leaders guilty of running crime gang. BBC, 7 October 2020.Helena Smith, Neo-Nazi leaders of Greece's Golden Dawn sentenced to 13 years. The Guardian, 14 October 2020. Unfortunately, the Golden Dawn's madness lives on in the form of 
the political party.
==Their leader==
The Führer president of Golden Dawn is Nikolaos Michaloliakos, a Holocaust denier and a fan of Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas, who was (ironically) simply disastrous for the Greek economy. He once met the leadership of Greek military junta, which probably inspired him to be such a gigantic authoritarian fuck. Michaloliakos is one of several Golden Dawn MP's arrested following the murder of anti-racist musician, Pavlos Fyssas, by a Golden Dawn supporter.Greece's Golden Dawn leader Michaloliakos held in crackdown On 14 October 2020, Michaloliakos and other members of Golden Dawn were sentenced to thirteen years in prison for being part of a criminal organization that ordered or encouraged violence.Golden Dawn: Leader Of Greek Neo-Nazi Party Sentenced To 13 Years In Prison. NPR, 14 October 2020.Georgios Samaras (November 26, 2020). "The end of Golden Dawn: has Greece shown us how to deal with neo-Nazis?". The Conversation.
The party also includes luminaries such as Ilias Kasidiaris, who actually slapped a woman live on national television. He then proceeded to sue her. Greek New Dawn's Ilias Kasidiaris sues women over TV row, BBC
==Violence==
Since its foundation in 1985, the Golden Dawn has been associated with at least 5 acts of hate crimes against Jews, immigrants, and political activists. These attacks include the partial, permanent blinding of a singer from a socialist band; attacks on three different synagogues that Golden Dawn has claimed responsibility for; and possession of weaponry in their offices.Golden Dawn violenceAnti-Immigrant violence on the rise. 
In 2013, the murder of anti-fascist rapper Killah P (Pavlos Fyssas) by Golden Dawn thugs was the final straw for the Greek government, and they began moving to ban Golden Dawn from politics.Helena Smith, Greece moves to ban far-right Golden Dawn party. The Guardian, 18 September 2013. (There is precedent for this, see Germany's Constitutional Court.) Whether or not this will lead to them becoming even more violent remains to be seen.
==Blasphemy prosecution==
Golden Dawn brought a young atheist named Filippos Loizos to the attention of the authorities, for publishing a Facebook page ridiculing a deceased Elder of the Greek Orthodox Church responsible for many alleged miracle claims before and after his death. This was considered an act of blasphemy; Loizos was prosecuted and received a suspended sentence to ten months in prison. Some Greeks, including several atheist groups, have come forward demanding repeal of blasphemy laws and the prison sentence was successfully appealed in 2017.Elder Pastitsios” Arrest Rekindles Debate on Blasphemy Laws in GreeceFacebook satire leads to blasphemy conviction in Greece In July 1st of 2019, the blasphemy law articles were abolished from Greece's criminal code.Blasphemy to be abolished in Greece under new criminal code
==England's Golden Dawn==
There is a group in the United Kingdom which refers to itself as BNP UKIP England's Golden Dawn and has adopted the logo of its Greek counterpart. EGD is not a political party, however, but a small organisation which currently appears to exist as little more than a Facebook group founded in November 2012.CiC: Heiling a New Golden Dawn Postings at this group are predictably dodgy: "Pity we cant [sic] just carpet bomb every Muslim area in the country I say," opines the page's administrator.EDL News: English Volunteer Force court Nazis for Birmingham demo The website EDLNews claims that the group is run by Eddie Stampton and that he uses the pseudonym of Mark Pringle on Facebook; Stampton denies this.Gary Hasting, Brighton: Nazis threaten violence at March for England. Archived from the original at edlnews.co.uk, 23 January 2013.
==Der Untergang==
On September 2019, two months after suffering a massive electoral defeat, Golden Dawn finally shut down its main headquarters in Athens – as well as its offices in most Greek cities – allegedly due to "financial struggles".Golden Dawn shuts down its main headquartersGolden Dawn Shutters National Headquarters; Neo-Nazis Receive “One-Way Ticket to Dustbin of History” The fact that they were repeatedly ransacked by Greek Antifa after the 2013 murder of Killah P probably had something to do with their not-so-golden downfall.
==External links==
*Golden Dawn and the rise of fascism
*Are Greek Policemen Really Voting in Droves for Greece's Neo-Nazi Party?
*Is Golden Dawn Turning to Terrorism to Get Their Message Across?
*Video: TV host pelted with eggs & yoghurt for neo-Nazi interview
*Greece's Golden Dawn: 'Don't say a word or I'll burn you alive'
*Golden Dawn profile at the Cult Education Institute
*Golden Dawn profile at the Counter Extremism Project
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Authoritarianism
Category:European political parties
Category:Far-right political parties
Category:Fascism
Category:Greece
Category:Hate groups
Category:Holocaust denial
Category:Nationalism
Category:Nazism
Category:Neo-Nazism
Category:Racism
Category:Terrorist organisations