Shooting of Golden Dawn members prompts soul-searching in Greece
Greece's anti-terrorism force is investigating Friday's drive-by shooting that killed two members of the Golden Dawn neo-Nazi group. The shooting, believed to be a retaliation, has prompted some to call for an end to a 'cycle of violence.'
People holding flowers and a Greek flag stand near the local offices of far-right Golden Dawn party on Nov. 2. Two members of the Neo-Nazi party were killed in the drive-by shooting outside the movement's offices in Athens on Friday, raising fears of an escalation of political violence in the crisis-wracked country.
John Kolesidis/Reuters
Athens
A brazen drive-by shooting that killed two young members of听's far-right听听has shocked Greeks and prompted soul-searching about whether the crisis-hit country is slipping into a "cycle of violence."
's anti-terrorism force is investigating whether Friday's rush hour shooting outside the party's offices in听听was retaliation for a fatal stabbing of an anti-fascism rapper by a听Golden听Dawn听supporter in September, police said.
Rapper听's death sparked protests across听听and a government crackdown on听Golden听Dawn, which is widely considered neo-Nazi and is blamed for attacks against migrants.
"We cannot let this cycle of violence continue," Makis Voridis, a senior lawmaker in Prime Minister听's听, told Mega TV. "This must end here."
"Twelve bullets against democracy," top-selling daily听听wrote on its front page on Saturday. "The double cold-blooded murder was a coarse provocation against stability."
The two听Golden听Dawn听supporters, aged 22 and 27 years old, were gunned down in a busy street during the evening rush hour. A third man was seriously injured in the chest and stomach and doctors said he remained in a critical condition.
According to witnesses and CCTV camera footage, the attacker, who had an accomplice, got off a motorbike and shot the victims at close range, police said. Twelve bullets were found at the crime scene from a 9 mm gun.
No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
"The target, the place and the time of the attack are symbolic," said听, professor of international security at the听.
"This act had an audience and those behind it have succeeded in sending the message they wanted."
Golden听Dawn,听's third most popular political force, urged Greeks to join a memorial service on Saturday evening outside its offices in the northern suburb of Neo Iraklio. Residents began gathering at the site and lay flowers.听
INSTABILITY
Politicians who have in the past queued up to pour scorn on听Golden听Dawn听united in condemning the shooting.
"This murder creates a climate of instability and targets democracy," said the leftist听.
听is in the sixth year of a recession that has fuelled anger against its foreign lenders and the political class, blamed by Greeks for bringing the country close to bankruptcy.
Golden听Dawn, which rejects the neo-Nazi label but uses a swastika-like emblem and its leader has denied the Holocaust, stormed into parliament last year on an anti-immigrant agenda.
Since Fissas' killing, the party has seen several of its members arrested as part of an investigation into accusations it has been involved in a wave of attacks and crimes.听Golden听Dawn听has denied any wrongdoing and said it had asked for police protection at its offices after receiving threats.
The听听has in the past promised to wipe out a party it describes as a "neo-Nazi gang". On Friday, it vowed to bring the killers of the two听Golden听Dawn听supporters to justice.
Small-scale bomb attacks against police, politicians and businessmen are frequent in听, which has a history of leftist violence. A prominent fatal shooting like Friday's attack was last seen in 2010, when a Greek journalist was shot dead outside his home.
"Yesterday's killing marked a continuation of political uncertainty and instability in the country," said George Tzogopoulos, analyst at the听-based ELIAMEP think-tank.
"These kinds of killings, in the span of only 40 days, are obviously worrying for a country that is the cradle of democracy." (Additional reporting Deborah Kyvrikosaios; Editing by Deepa Babington and Gareth Jones)
By Renee Maltezou
, Nov 2 (Reuters) - A brazen drive-by shooting that killed two young members of听's far-right听has shocked Greeks and prompted soul-searching about whether the crisis-hit country is slipping into a "cycle of violence".
's anti-terrorism force is investigating whether Friday's rush hour shooting outside the party's offices in听was retaliation for a fatal stabbing of an anti-fascism rapper by a听Golden听Dawn听supporter in September, police said.
Rapper听's death sparked protests across听听and a government crackdown on听Golden听Dawn, which is widely considered neo-Nazi and is blamed for attacks against migrants.
"We cannot let this cycle of violence continue," Makis Voridis, a senior lawmaker in Prime Minister听's听, told Mega TV. "This must end here."
"Twelve bullets against democracy," top-selling daily听听wrote on its front page on Saturday. "The double cold-blooded murder was a coarse provocation against stability."
The two听Golden听Dawn听supporters, aged 22 and 27 years old, were gunned down in a busy street during the evening rush hour. A third man was seriously injured in the chest and stomach and doctors said he remained in a critical condition.
According to witnesses and CCTV camera footage, the attacker, who had an accomplice, got off a motorbike and shot the victims at close range, police said. Twelve bullets were found at the crime scene from a 9 mm gun.
No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
"The target, the place and the time of the attack are symbolic," said听, professor of international security at the听.
"This act had an audience and those behind it have succeeded in sending the message they wanted."
Golden听Dawn,听's third most popular political force, urged Greeks to join a memorial service on Saturday evening outside its offices in the northern suburb of Neo Iraklio. Residents began gathering at the site and lay flowers.听
INSTABILITY
Politicians who have in the past queued up to pour scorn on听Golden听Dawn听united in condemning the shooting.
"This murder creates a climate of instability and targets democracy," said the leftist听.
听is in the sixth year of a recession that has fuelled anger against its foreign lenders and the political class, blamed by Greeks for bringing the country close to bankruptcy.
Golden听Dawn, which rejects the neo-Nazi label but uses a swastika-like emblem and its leader has denied the Holocaust, stormed into parliament last year on an anti-immigrant agenda.
Since Fissas' killing, the party has seen several of its members arrested as part of an investigation into accusations it has been involved in a wave of attacks and crimes.听Golden听Dawn听has denied any wrongdoing and said it had asked for police protection at its offices after receiving threats.
The听听has in the past promised to wipe out a party it describes as a "neo-Nazi gang". On Friday, it vowed to bring the killers of the two听Golden听Dawn听supporters to justice.
Small-scale bomb attacks against police, politicians and businessmen are frequent in听, which has a history of leftist violence. A prominent fatal shooting like Friday's attack was last seen in 2010, when a Greek journalist was shot dead outside his home.
"Yesterday's killing marked a continuation of political uncertainty and instability in the country," said George Tzogopoulos, analyst at the听-based ELIAMEP think-tank.
"These kinds of killings, in the span of only 40 days, are obviously worrying for a country that is the cradle of democracy."
Additional reporting Deborah Kyvrikosaios