The document provides perspectives on the far-right Greek political party Golden Dawn (Xrisi Avgi) from various groups. Golden Dawn sees itself as a nationalist movement protecting Greece, but is seen by many outside Greece as a neo-Nazi party due to its connections to Nazi ideology and violent attacks on immigrants. Greek citizens have mixed views, with some supporting Golden Dawn's anti-immigrant stance but others strongly opposing it. Immigrants in Greece also have a range of experiences, from facing attacks by Golden Dawn to being treated kindly by Greek authorities and citizens.

1. The images of Xrisi Avgi (the
Golden Dawn)

2. Table of contents

A brief history of Xrisi Avgi

How Xrisi Avgi sees itself

How Xrisi Argi is seen by the world

How Xrisi Avgi is seen by Greek citizens

How Xrisi Avgi is seen by the (illegal) immigrants

How Xrisi Avgi is seen by several authorities and
organisations

Conclusion

3. A brief history of Xrisi Avgi
As documentary producer, Konstantinos Georgousis,
quotes: “In June 2012, the far-right Greek political party
Golden Dawn came from nowhere to win seven percent
of the parliamentary vote. The intense economic crisis
and rising unemployment have led to increasing
numbers of Greek voters coming to view nationalist
ideas as a possible solution to their problems. The party
is frequently connected with neo-Nazism and has been
accused of glorifying Hitler.”

4. 
Though, according to instructor at the University of
Sussex, Dimitris Dalakoglou, this is not the whole
story. Indeed, last year (2012) they gained more and
more power, but according to Dalakoglou this
extreme right-wing party started its march already in
the 1990s – Macedonia

Background
The party was established in December 1980. In
1992 they developed their program. In June 1993
they took part in the elections for the European
Parliament. From 1993-2008 they did not win any
votes, because Greek citizens were satisfied with the
existing political situation. In 2008 – economic crisis +
foreigners – they grew to almost 7% in the
Parliamentary elections.

5. How Xrisi Avgi sees itself

“We believe in nationalism.”They believe they are a
nationalistic movement and see themselves as
“fighters” of the People´s Nationalistic Movement.

They believe their actions are legitimized by their
ideology which stands for saving the Greek nation,
which is under threat

As “pure Greeks”, we are not willing to sell the
country to foreign interests. They believe in an
'independent Greek society'

“We are not fascists depending on how they (the
others) define fascists”

6. 
“Our symbols and colors have nothing to do with
Germany or Italy and the regimes of the interwar
period. Our colour is kianoun (light blue). Politically,
white, black and red (revolution, blood, race or tribe)
are used for the party, because they used to be the
colours of the revolution in 1821.”

They believe they are ideologists and conscious
political soldiers of a movement with a clear
worldview, bio-theory and ideology

7. How Xrisi Avgi is seen by the world

“Neo-Nazi” party

“The Cleaners”

8. Xrisi Avgi as a 'Neo-Nazi' Party

9. – British newspaper The Guardian:“The Golden Dawn
threatens hospital raids against immigrants in Greece.
The situation in the hospitals within Greece is critical.
Due to the lack of money, medical staff, reception
facilities, medical equipment etc. the Golden Dawn
began to take extreme measures, which are to the
detriment of immigrants.”
– American magazine The new Republic: “The
Terrifying Rise of Greece’s Nazi Party. […] On the
streets of Greece, it’s now common knowledge among
immigrants that black clothes are the unofficial uniform
of Golden Dawn, or Chrysi Avgi—a kind of cross
between Hezbollah and the Tea Party. Since 2008,
Golden Dawn supporters have assaulted immigrants
with brass knuckles, knives, and batons. There have
been nearly 500 attacks this year (2012) alone,
according to the Migrant Workers Association [...]

10. – Canadian media source Nationalpost.com: “Neo-Nazi
party has election breakthrough in Greece, leader warns
‘time for fear has come!’”
– Israel’s English-language daily website The Jerusalem
Post: “Belgium: ‘Greek Nazi party problematic.” In an
interview with Joods Actueel, Belgium’s leading Jewish
publication, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders
said the party’s electoral success was a cause for
concern. “This is not just a rightist party – it’s actually a
Nazi party,” he said.
– Nederlands left/wing site Socialisme.nu: “Nazi-partij
Gouden Dageraad: ‘Na de immigranten zijn jullie
(buitenlanders, homo’s en gehandicapten) aan de
beurt.”

11. – French daily newspaper Midi Libre:
”Législatives en Grèce : un parti néo-nazi accède au
Parlement” (Legislation in Greece: a neo-Nazi party
gains access to Parliament).”
– German online weekly news magazine Spiegel.de:”[...]
Die Neonazi-Partei Chrysi Avgi, auf Deutsch "Goldene
Morgenröte", heizt die fremdenfeindliche Stimmung an.
Wer sich ihr entgegenstellt, wird bedroht - wie die
Journalistin Xenia Kounalaki aus eigener Erfahrung
weiß” ([…] The neo-Nazi party Chrysi Avgi, in English
"Golden Dawn", fuelling the xenophobic sentiment.
Anyone who opposes it, is threatened - as the journalist
Xenia Kounalaki knows from experience).

12. “The cleaners”
"Greece for the Greeks" on the square to ward off roaming
"illegals"

Documentary by Konstantinos Georgousis (many Greeks
call Golden Dawn “the cleaners”.

13. How Xrisi Avgi is seen by Greek
citizens

Counterparts of Xrisi Avgi

Supporters Xrisi Avgi

14. Counterparts Xrisi Avgi
A Greek individual with a big construction
company.

He is in contact with immigrants, because many
immigrants are working for their family company.
These immigrants fill the jobs that no Greek citizen
wants to do

According to him, there is a lot of racism within
Greece. The migrants do not realise the situation
they are coming into. For them,Greece is the first
country of entry into Europe. Many of them are from
Africa or Morocco and it is not easy for them to adapt.

15. 
As he notes, Greece is a very difficult place for
immigrants to begin a new life. The language is
difficult to learn and it is a conservative society that is
not openminded. “We are really conservative towards
migrants.”

“The immigrants are a blessing and a curse. They
can be a help and do not only cause problems!”

“Especially at night, I am not going to the city center
of Athens (Omonia, Monesteraki etc.) anymore. It
became really dangerous for a woman to walk there
alone. The Greek people are blaming the immigrants,
but they should blame the state.”

16. Two middle aged Greek men

“We are a nation of 11 million people with the same
number of foreigners on top of this.”

“Voting Golden Dawn is a vote of punishment.”

“The Greek people are fascist-minded, not so much
politically-minded.”

“Illegal migrants are here, because the EU funds
them.”

“Migrants are a tool for the state to reduce wages.”

“Golden Dawn has no ideology.”

“The political outer flanks are destroying Greece.”

17. Supporter Xrisi Avgi (woman aged 25)
“Migrants are a big problem in Greece! We have legal
and illegal immigrants. As a Greek citizen I don't have
problems with those who are legal, but I DO have
problems with those who are illegal. It is them that are
creating the problems here in Greece, they are more
than we can bear!”
Those who have families here, who have a job, and
are legal, those are fine, but illegals should be thrown
into the sea or should be deported back to their
countries, the same way they came here!”

18. View on Golden Dawn
“The Golden Dawn helps us with the illegal immigrants.
Right now for us as Greek citizens it is very difficult to
find a job and there is not enough space for the
immigrants to be here. The immigrants are dangerous,
they steal, they kill and the Golden Dawn is just helping
us with this, by cleaning various places in the city.”
She votes Golden Dawn, because ‘the other parties are
unable to speak the truth for even 1 percent, and they
are manipulated by the European Union’.

19. Next time, she will not vote Golden Dawn, because they
don't mention anything about the economic crisis and
what solutions as a party they think to present to Greek
citizens.

20. Table of contents (2)

A brief history of Xrisi Avgi

How Xrisi Avgi seen by itself

How Xrisi Argi is seen by the world

How Xrisi Avgi is seen by Greek citizens

How Xrisi Avgi is seen by the (illegal) immigrants

How Xrisi Avgi is seen by several authorities and
organisations

Conclusion

21. How Xrisi Avgi is seen by the (illegal)
immigrants

Tanzanians

Somalians

22. Xrisi Avgi as seen by Tanzanians
Interview with K.
“Although our community has been attacked twice by
Xrisi Avgi, I have to tell you a very important story,
which makes you understand why I believe Greek
people are very kind and good people, which I still and
will always believe!”
(This has to do with his experience in Argos, Greece)

23. As many other Tanzanians, K. left his native country in
the 1990s in order to travel around the world as a sailor.
In 1991, he became stranded in Athens.
His life before and now:
From working at a nursery school in Tanzania to
studying law / international relationships in Cairo, to
orange picker on a farm in Argos, Greece, to secretary
of the Tanzanian community in Athens.
“As an orange picker in orange gardens in Argos,
Greeks were very very friendly, helped us wherever,
and gave us food and drinks, while we were
working.They were good to us, cared about us!”

24. 
Tanzanian community established between 1999 –
2002 & legalised in 2002 by the Greek state.

Twice attacked by Xrisi Avgi
− 25th of September 2012
− 26th of October 2012

25. Attack 25th of September 2012

Tanzanian community was located in the center of
Athens. It was a place were many foreigners (not
only Tanzanian people) came together to enjoy an
evening together, watching football etc.

24th of September: 40 people stood outside in front
of the community’s building. Two women came in and
said: “ You have to close the place!”

Reason: Many bars around the neighborhood with
loud music, bringing nuisance etc.

26. Conversation between the two women of Xrisi Avgi and
K.:

K: “This is a legal community, not a bar!”

XA:”We are a committee of residents!”
K: showed them the legal papers of the community,
whereafter the two ladies and the other 40 people
outside, left.

27. Attack 25th of September
“While 10 Tanzanians were sitting in the building of the
community watching television. At about 01:00 am, 80-
100 people suddenly came to the building and started
breaking into the main entrance door! The Tanzanians
were afraid and called the police. The police came and
escorted them five blocks away from there, where they
could take a taxi. None of those breaking down the
building, including everything inside, got arrested!” (K.)

28. Interesting to note, according to K.
“When the police came, all the people kept on standing
outside. Normally if you do something wrong, like
breaking into someone else’s building, you would be
afraid the police would arrest you. So the question is:
Why did none of these people start running or
hiding???”
And: “Why did the police not arrest anyone for this
crime?”

29. Attack 26th of October
“Fortunately nobody was in the building & the building
was already empty due to the previous attack when, at
approximately 21:00 pm, people threw some sort of
'bomb' into the building. The anti-terrorist police came.
Again nobody got arrested!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZMwVKC2tW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGrRiijTp5E
The whole case is now in the hands of refugee lawyer

30. K.: “In the meantime, we hope in the future to publish a
lot regarding Xrisi Avgi and their actions, in the hope
that they will slowly slowly start feeling fear!”
“It is not due to the economic crisis, but due to the
misinformation the Greek people receive from the
media, which allows for such actions and for the Golden
Dawn to grow in percentages!”
“The media say things people like to hear, so any bad
thing done by a foreigner becomes a major issue. As a
result, Greek people start hating foreigners and believe
they steal and kill.”

31. Xrisi Avgi as seen by Somalians

No specific views about Xrisi Avgi

Reason: the short duration of their stay in Athens

S., a 27-year old Somalian left his home country
Somalia approximately nine months ago, because of
the ongoing civil war that started in 1991. His own life
was at risk.
− His former life in Somalia: He graduated in
public administration and spent his days as a
social worker, entertaining young children by
playing football etc.

32. “ If you don't leave, we will just kill you!”
Al Shabaab, a terrorist organisation told him this,
because they believed Said harmed the children by
letting them play football. Instead, these children should
do their duty as children soldiers, according to them.
His journey
With a faked passport and document papers, given by a
friend living in Syria, he travelled on foot to Syria. Once
there, this friend was nowhere to be found. Said: “I don't
blame him! He was probably afraid of the Syrians due to
the fact that he gave me his passport and documents! I
tried to contact him, to thank him for saving my life, but
he does not answer!”

33. Important to notice: His first experiences with Greeks
had been very good!
“While crossing the Evros border, I was very very
scared that the Greek police would catch me and beat
the hell out of me!” Instead, they caught me (and other
immigrants) and gave us food and medical care. I did
not believe it. I could not eat, because I was soooo
happy that they were so kind to us!”
Three months in the detention center:
Contrary to all the other stories S. believed detention
camp was ok. “Second Captain, mister Isitis even gave
me a leather jacket because I was feeling cold.”

34. After being released from the detention center: Pink
Card!
Now in Athens:
“I have good experiences with Greek people, they help
when- and wherever they can, not only with money.”
“some told me before that Greeks are racists, but once
in Greece I feel like being in Europe, I feel good, I am
happy and feel secure and free!”
This of course does not apply to all Somalian people in
Athens !!! Many are still without pink card, afraid of
Greek police who arrest them because they are illegal,
which happens very often.

35. Abdurazak Hassan Abdi (illegal Somalian): “I have been
here for 5 months and already 3 times I went to prison,
because I do not have a pink card.”
S.:”I have a Somalian friend who stayed here for 6
months and he became mentally ill.”
A. (Somalian tourist in Athens): “I cried when I came
here, because even Somalian women are begging on
the streets to survive, but the Greek government does
not care!”

36. BUT... there are not only unpleasant stories.
One Somalian individual aged approximately 28:
“I work helping tourists; to help them find their hotels
etc., because if the police find me with white people
the police will not arrest me.”

He thinks that the EU immigration policy should take
an example from the policy of the U.S.

37. How Xrisi Avgi is seen by several
authorities and organisations

Greek police officer

EGAM

Greek lawyer

38. … by a Greek police officer (male 30)
It is quite difficult to be a police officer in Athens. There
are places where their life is at risk. Especially, because
they are equipped with old weapons etc. (guns that
were used during WWII), since they themselves have to
pay for all of this. Additionally, it is not only the
immigrants that the police have do deal with. Even the
ordinary Greek citizen can turn against the police by
trowing stones, molotov cocktails etc.
As such, according to G. the most important thing to
keep in mind is that: Greek police officers always need
to protect themselves first , before others.

39. 
His opinion about immigrants: “Immigrants are people
who came for a better life but cannot find a job and
so start stealing or selling drugs.”

However, he also says that if he passes immigrants
sleeping on the street, the first thing he does is to
check whether (s)he is alive and if (s)he needs help.

According to the lawer: Greek police do have to
arrest those immigrants not possessing legal
documents, whereafter the procedure of deportation
starts.

40. His views regarding the Golden Dawn:
“The members of the Golden Dawn help people who are
hungry and they give people jobs. Whether you can call
them Nazis, I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe no.”
He arrests those people who are illegal, but also people
offending the police or committing any other crime. This
would also include members of the Golden Dawn, IF
they would do something wrong.
Interesting to note: G.’s posture is well built, dressed in
black clothes and his head shaved

41. 
A common view held by Greek citizens is: In order to
be 24/7 satisfied, a Greek has to walk with a
policeman on one side and with a street cleaner on
the other.

42. … by mister M. part of EGAM
M. is a member of the European Grassroots Antiracist
Movement, EGAM. EGAM was launched in November
2010 under the impetus of SOS Racisme (France) to
structure and empower the European antiracist civil
society. Nowadays, this organisation encompasses
approximately forty antiracist civil society organisations
from all over Europe and is actively involved in making
the continent free of racism, antisemitism and racial
discrimination.

43. According to M., Golden Dawn attacks many many
immigrants. In many of these cases the police seems to
be involved and members of the Golden Dawn. That
means, when immigrants who got attacked go to the
police, the police simply says:”Say that you have been
beaten up during a conflict between you and someone
else.”
M.:”There is increasing support for Golden Dawn, now it
is the third party. This means that we need to stop them.
We should prevent the representatives of Golden Dawn
from continuing. We have to stop them and convince all
the political parties in Parliament!”

44. … by a Greek lawyer
K. is a lawyer, defending immigrants in Athens who are
not able to get legal support because they are illegal.
Only in penal cases do you get support.
K. views on Golden Dawn
“Xrisi Avgi is not an extreme right party anymore. It is
really a NAZI-party!”

45. “Golden Dawn had an enormous influence and appeal
amongst the people and in elections. In the last three
years this party grew enormously and there were many
attacks on migrants, whereby the Greek police was fully
supporting Golden Dawn members. In the area of Agios
Pantelimonas, the police is on the side of the members
of Golden Dawn.”
That Greek police officers, especially in the area of
Agios Pantelimonas are supporting the members of
Golden Dawn, becomes clear in several cases like
Kayu's case.

47. K. (Tanzanian Community)
Just before the trial about the attacks on the Tanzanian
community started, Kourtovik found Kayu being
detained in a cell at the police station together with two
other members of the community. Suddenly outside the
police station, several members of Golden Dawn
gathered together.
K.: “we believe that police officers contact Golden Dawn
members to keep them informed.”
Additionally, K. and other Tanzanians recognised
several members of Golden Dawn who had attacked
them, but their lives were threatened if they did not
withdraw their accusations.

48. For the rest, according to K., the police officers are
obliged to arrest those immigrants who are illegal, and
without proper documents. Once arrested, they can be
deported unless they ask for asylum .
Why Golden Dawn attacks the immigrants:
“Because they want them to leave, scare them, send
them the message. Their aim is to have the people at
their side. They use immigrants and the problems they
bring as a weapon to get more support for their party in
order to survive as a party.”

49. The profile of Golden Dawn is changing.
– At first, the members of Golden Dawn were very
aggressive when they had just entered Parliament
– Now, they try to behave like the other Parliamen-
tarians; wearing suits etc.
In the last 2 months the attacks have decreased
because:
– People start having ideas about what NAZI's are. First
they did not know, because nobody talked about it.
Nowadays, people start talking about the fact that this
party has a NAZI ideology and start mobilising against
them.

50. Conclusion
– Worldwide, Golden Dawn (Xrisi Avgi) is seen as a
'Nazi-party' or as 'the cleaners'.
– Other views on Golden Dawn among Greek citizens:
racists, helpers, cleaners, protectors, people who
believe it is a party without an ideology, or they vote for
them out of protest
– Contradiction between how the Greek police officer
sees Golden Dawn and their real practices (police
officers involved with Golden Dawn)

51. – Those (illegal) immigrants who don't know Golden
Dawn are only afraid of the police. Those (illegal)
immigrants who do know Golden Dawn are: EITHER
very afraid of the members of Golden Dawn, OR like K.,
they are not afraid and just try everything to disclose the
actions of the Golden Dawn in order to make THEM (the
members of Golden Dawn) afraid.
– Distinction between those who believe Golden Dawn
has grown during last years, because of the
combination: economic crisis + foreigners. Others
believe that the party has grown due to the stories of the
media (foreigners steal, kill etc.).

53. Google Earth

54. Follow-up study

Undercover

Small present for interviewers

55. Thank you

Nederlands Instituut Athene