Deputies of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party will no longer be protected by police guards

Policy Response DateSeptember 10, 2012 Country: Greece Address: Athens General Type: Racist violence Racism and discrimination phenomena: Extremism - organised Racist Violence, Anti-migrant/xenophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Majority Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Political discourse -parties - orgs

Related Case Studies

Related Alerts

Ministry of Citizen protection decided on September 10th, 2012, to no longer protect the deputies of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party with police guards, in response to the participation of Golden Dawn's deputies in the violent attacks against immigrants in the open markets of Rafina and Messolonghi. The ministry said in a statement that "the police force has decided to remove police protection for Golden Dawn members of parliament after the party announced that it will continue with violent actions and abuse of authority. The decision is aimed at protecting police guards from unintentional conflict of duty in guarding lawmakers, since their duty is to pursue and arrest violators." [1, 2 & 3]

The ministerial decision exempts those officers assigned to guard the headquarters of the Golden Dawn and the protection of the General Secretary of the party. The statement concludes with a message of the minister of Citizen Protection "that the Greek Police is responsible for law enforcement and security in the country and any attempt to replace it addresses the legal consequences. Towards this direction have been given clear instructions to the police so that the people preparing such actions or participate in them brought to justice. " [4]

Sources:

  1. The Irish Times, 10.09.2012, Greece scraps far-right protection, http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0910/breaking38.html, Accessed on 11.09.2012.
  2. CBS News, 10.09.2012, Greece pulls extreme rightists' police guards, http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501714_162-57509311/greece-pulls-extreme-rightists-police-guards/, Accessed on 11.09.2012.
  3. GR Reporter, 10.09.2012, Members of Golden Dawn have been deprived of security guards, http://www.grreporter.info/en/members_golden_dawn_have_been_deprived_security_guards/7640, Accessed on 11.09.2012.
  4. To Vima, 10.09.2012, Χωρίς αστυνομική φρουρά οι βουλευτές της Χρυσής Αυγής (Without police guard the members of the Golden Dawn), http://www.tovima.gr/society/article/?aid=474112, Accessed on 11.09.2012.