Britain’s Channel 4 airs documentary on Golden Dawn
A documentary focusing on extreme right Greek party Golden Dawn was presented on Britain’s Channel 4 on Tuesday.
Shot by Konstantinos Georgousis, a student at London’s National Film and Television School, “The Cleaners” follows the practices of Golden Dawn members in central Athens. In the film, party members talk openly about beating up illegal immigrants, while one Golden Dawn member refers to migrants as “subhuman.”
“I was terrified that these members were proud to express their extreme ideas during campaigning openly in public. I was shocked by their hostility and by the way they treated immigrants in the Athenian squares,” said Georgousis, writing about his experiences while on location. He also noted that at times he was “concerned by the level of support from the Greek people.”
Speaking to Channel 4 News New Democracy MP Andonis Georgiadis said that the opinions expressed by Golden Dawn supporters in the documentary were not “the opinion of the majority of the Greek people.”
Deeming the exreme right party “a disgrace for our society and our democracy,” Georgiadis added that Greek society was under major pressure and that this prompted some voters to cast their ballot for Golden Dawn.
“As my country faces financial and social ruin, Golden Dawn has become the prime outlet for public anger,” noted Georgousis.
Golden Dawn garnered 7 percent of the vote in the last round of general elections, earning 18 seats in Parliament.
