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Chicago Greek Americans, Immigrant Rights Activists to Protest Growing Wave of Greek Fascism at Local Consulate


Effort sparked by Greek neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party threat to expand presence in metro Chicago, as dozens of cities move to stage solidarity protests across the globe.

CHICAGO—(ENEWSPF)—January 18, 2013. Greek-Americans will join immigrant rights activists and human rights advocates at 1PM on Saturday, January 19 at a press conference and picket of the Greek Consulate in Chicago, as part of a local pushback against neo-Nazi organizing in Chicago’s Greek community and to stand in solidarity with immigrants and others under attack from the fascist Golden Dawn party in Greece. Dozens of cities across the world are staging solidarity protests on Saturday with immigrant groups in Greece, who have seen members of their communities assaulted and worse in recent months. Chicago’s Greek consulate is located at 650 N. St. Clair in Chicago.

The protesters plan to deliver a letter to the Greek Consulate calling on the government to repudiate the growing influence of Golden Dawn within the government’s own security forces, which have stood by idly as GD members have attacked community centers, peaceful pickets and people of color on the streets across Greece. Neo-Nazi attacks in Greece are on the rise, where Golden Dawn, a well-funded right-wing extremist group with ties to elements in the Greek police, is polling at over 10%.

In December, Golden Dawn announced interest in opening a Chicago satellite office, part of a wave of expansion across North America, from Montreal to New York, where their overt efforts have been widely repudiated. Golden Dawn members have a well-documented history of brutalizing and attempting to murder Jews, Arabs, Muslims, immigrants, people of color, progressives and others who oppose their racist, xenophobic worldview — including a Pakistani cyclist murdered on January 17 by right-wing fascist thugs associated with Golden Dawn. The group’s open violence has sent shock waves across Europe – and sparked a growing international push-back.

Extreme poverty driven by austerity has fueled Golden Dawn’s rise in Greece. Chicago activists note that the global economic crisis has dovetailed with cuts to the city’s social and economic safety net to breed the same kind of racism and repression that Greek fascists have used against asylum seekers, migrants and other minorities in Greece.

Dozens of cities are staging solidarity protests on Saturday with Athens organizers, including New York, Montreal, Moscow, Warsaw, London, Dublin, Vienna, Toronto and Glasgow. Endorsers of the Chicago action include the Moratorium On Deportations Campaign; SYRIZA New York; The Greek American Left Movement (Aristeri Kinisi)/New York; LaVoz de los de Abajo; American Party of Labor; Chicago Coalition Against War & Racism; Committee Against Political Repression; Freedom Road Socialist Organization; Gay Liberation Network; International Socialist Organization; Radicals Against Discrimination (RAD); Social Justice Club of Purdue University/Calumet; Red Wedge Magazine; Solidarity/Chicago Branch; Workers World Party; poet, educator and activist Beatriz Badikian; educator and activist Bill Ayers; immigrant rights activist and community organizer Jorge Mujica; artist and community activist Gretchen Hasse; educator and activist Samuel A. Love; community activist and Greek American Chris Geovanis.

Source: Solidarity Action Against Racism & Fascism

 


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