NEWS

Golden Dawn MPs praise junta, threaten violence at party meetings

Far-right Golden Dawn has caused fresh controversy after a gathering of its supporters on Crete on Sunday saw one of the party’s MPs unfurl the flag of the1967-74 military dictatorship and another threaten to kill anti-fascist protesters.

Neofasict deputy Christos Pappas opened up the flag, bearing a phoenix and a soldier, used by the junta before his speech, to rounds of applause from the party’s supporters.

Fellow lawmaker Ilias Kassidiaris was filmed arguing with policemen outside the event for allowing antifascist demonstrators to gather near the venue where the party’s meeting was being held.

After swearing at the police officer in charge, Kassidiaris told him that there would be victims unless the protesters were moved away.

“Believe me, you will have dead people by tonight,” the Golden Dawn spokesman can be heard telling the police in video footage of the incident.

In a separate event, Kassidiaris was filmed explaining how the party’s 18 lawmakers aim to take advantage of their parliamentary immunity and other privileges.

“We can now carry guns legally and will not be arrested on the spot if there is an incident,” Kassidiaris said during another gathering of Golden Dawn supporters over the weekend. “This makes us a bit more relaxed about our movements.”

According to an opinion poll for 6 Meres newspaper, Golden Dawn is comfortably the third largest party with 12 percent.

The Pulse survey has SYRIZA first on 23.5 percent and New Democracy second on 19 percent.

Independent Greeks are fourth on 6.5 percent, PASOK fifth on 6 percent, the Communist Party follows on 5 percent and Democratic Left on 3.5 percent.

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