The long-awaited trial of the far-right Golden Dawn party was adjourned for May 7th. The trial, which is expected to last anywhere from six months to two years, was scheduled to begin on Monday morning at 9:00 local (0600 GMT) but was called off because of many protests from local and far-left organizations and fears for unrest in the area.
Before the trial was adjourned, MPs Artemis Mattheopoulos, Polyvios Zisimopoulos and Stathis Boukouras took the stand – the later has “denounced” Golden Dawn since the launch of the investigation.
George Roupakias, the self-confessed murderer of rapper and far-left activist Pavlos Fyssas, was present at the courthouse and also took the stand.
Of the 69 defendants, some 24 apparently did not attend the proceedings (including GD's leadership), while one other has since passed away.
The trial is expected to be held at a specially adapted courthouse at the Korydallos prison.
No sooner had the session opened, Councilors for the prosecution complained that two witnesses were apparently assaulted by Golden Dawn supporters, as they were approaching the courthouse.
Obviously all these alleged accusations (which are then used by the Greek media to blow things way out of proportion) might also be used as an argument by those who want to literally crucify the GD party and force it to be held in a different location. In fact, weeks before the trial was due to begin, there were widespread calls to move it to another location.
There were fears that chaos would erupt because the extreme far-left (ANTARSYA-based) "Movement United Against Racism and the Fascist Threat" planned an antifascist rally, at 8 a.m. local (0500 GMT) just a few blocks from where the trial was being held.
Greek public servants, or civil servants' umbrella union ADEDY, -which encourages state workers to always jump at the opportunity to take a day off- had also called its members to take part in the rally and announced a 4-hour work stoppage, from 7:30 am to 11:30, in order to allow its members to attend (or to sleep in). And if that wasn't enough, the Union of Merchant Marine Seamen (hard line supporters of the KKE party) also decided to take part.
Obviously hooligan and Soros-backed anarchist groups also decided to make their presence known and there were even reports claiming that they would force their way towards the Korydallos Prison, where the trial was taking place, but which was heavily blocked by police forces. (So they would have clashed with authorities)
The investigation against Golden Dawn began shortly after the September 2013 murder of anti-racist activist and rapper Pavlos Fyssas by Golden Dawn self-proclaimed member Roupakias.
Some of those accused face charges of membership of a criminal organization, while others are accused of murder, conspiracy to murder, possession of weapons and racist violence. Prosecutors will attempt to prove that the aggressive anti-immigrant group operated as a criminal organization under a military-style leadership that allegedly encouraged the beating, and possibly the killing of migrants and political opponents.
Even so, the Greek justice system cannot mimic the Minority report. As a democratic nation we cannot persecute a party because of a hypothetical situation. Let us not kid ourselves, Golden Dawn is being persecuted because of its ideology which has stolen many supporters from the conservative right. Anyone who claims otherwise is simply full of hot air. All those who until now attempted to present Golden Dawn as a criminal organization now this too well and are now attempting to place things in the right perspective by hinting that there is no factual evidence to support the -criminal organization- claim (especially the Greek media).
Editor's Note: The only thing that this trial will successfully do is to detain GD from being in the public eye, nothing else (that is why we believe that it will last up to two years). Nothing will be revealed and we fear that this will probably soar their popularity even more; Greek citizens have always been more partial to underdogs -or the damned-. Unless this is the plan. Reports are already starting to note that there is only circumstantial evidence against GD, or of them acting as a criminal organization, and the weapons that authorities supposedly massed from their homes have already been reported to be contain licenses and/or were used for hunting, etc. Heck if they persecute GD as a criminal organization then shouldn't PASOK begin peeing in its pants as well? After all, most of its members have been accused of blackmail, money-laundering, extortion, etc. Anyone who has lived in Greece knows that PASOK operated a system that even the Cosa Nostra would have envied! Their network -which is still alive and kicking today but presents itself as SYRIZA- began at the top of the pyramid and went all the way down. Anyone who was not on their lists, was not a supporter, or in the past did not buy their party coupons, was shunned, ignored, left to die, or basically never EVER had the same opportunity, privileges or lifestyle that they did. They controlled everything. Should GD be persecuted by the Greek justice system for their ideology, and/or actions, then PASOK should also be persecuted and charged of running a criminal organization for the past 30+ years that allowed the Greek state to reach the state that it is today. One last thing, on Sunday night reporter Pavlos Tsimas on SKAI tv presented a report on the Golden Dawn party which we here at HellsaFrappe found quite entertaining. Those interviewed on the show are some of the strongest supporters of the anti-fascist movement, members of ANTARSYA and part of NGO's that are funded by the Soros foundation to protect migrants (which we all know actually exploit migrants but hey... who are we to doubt their intentions.) The report should be slammed by all, because it did not contain any objective reporting and relied solely on what propaganda channels such as MEGA and others have said over the last two years against the far-right party and the only opinions that were heard were those of GD's arch rival ANTARSYA. There was also no word about the two young GD supporters that were gunned down in front of the GD offices a short while after the rapper dies. It should be reminded that on November 1st, 2013, a terrorist attack took place at the Golden Dawn office of Neo Herakleio resulting in the death of two members of Golden Dawn, Manolis Kapelonis and Giorgos Fountoulis. The self-proclaimed organisation "Fighting People's Revolutionary Forces", claimed the responsibility for the attack, stating in its manifesto that it carried out as retaliation to the murder of Pavlos Fyssas. HellasFrappe decided not to post the video because we still believe in objective journalism and hate that channels such as MEGA and SKAI somehow forget that there were victims on both sides in this battle and not just one. Shame on them.
Before the trial was adjourned, MPs Artemis Mattheopoulos, Polyvios Zisimopoulos and Stathis Boukouras took the stand – the later has “denounced” Golden Dawn since the launch of the investigation.
George Roupakias, the self-confessed murderer of rapper and far-left activist Pavlos Fyssas, was present at the courthouse and also took the stand.
Of the 69 defendants, some 24 apparently did not attend the proceedings (including GD's leadership), while one other has since passed away.
The trial is expected to be held at a specially adapted courthouse at the Korydallos prison.
No sooner had the session opened, Councilors for the prosecution complained that two witnesses were apparently assaulted by Golden Dawn supporters, as they were approaching the courthouse.
Obviously all these alleged accusations (which are then used by the Greek media to blow things way out of proportion) might also be used as an argument by those who want to literally crucify the GD party and force it to be held in a different location. In fact, weeks before the trial was due to begin, there were widespread calls to move it to another location.
There were fears that chaos would erupt because the extreme far-left (ANTARSYA-based) "Movement United Against Racism and the Fascist Threat" planned an antifascist rally, at 8 a.m. local (0500 GMT) just a few blocks from where the trial was being held.
Greek public servants, or civil servants' umbrella union ADEDY, -which encourages state workers to always jump at the opportunity to take a day off- had also called its members to take part in the rally and announced a 4-hour work stoppage, from 7:30 am to 11:30, in order to allow its members to attend (or to sleep in). And if that wasn't enough, the Union of Merchant Marine Seamen (hard line supporters of the KKE party) also decided to take part.
Obviously hooligan and Soros-backed anarchist groups also decided to make their presence known and there were even reports claiming that they would force their way towards the Korydallos Prison, where the trial was taking place, but which was heavily blocked by police forces. (So they would have clashed with authorities)
The investigation against Golden Dawn began shortly after the September 2013 murder of anti-racist activist and rapper Pavlos Fyssas by Golden Dawn self-proclaimed member Roupakias.
Some of those accused face charges of membership of a criminal organization, while others are accused of murder, conspiracy to murder, possession of weapons and racist violence. Prosecutors will attempt to prove that the aggressive anti-immigrant group operated as a criminal organization under a military-style leadership that allegedly encouraged the beating, and possibly the killing of migrants and political opponents.
Even so, the Greek justice system cannot mimic the Minority report. As a democratic nation we cannot persecute a party because of a hypothetical situation. Let us not kid ourselves, Golden Dawn is being persecuted because of its ideology which has stolen many supporters from the conservative right. Anyone who claims otherwise is simply full of hot air. All those who until now attempted to present Golden Dawn as a criminal organization now this too well and are now attempting to place things in the right perspective by hinting that there is no factual evidence to support the -criminal organization- claim (especially the Greek media).
Editor's Note: The only thing that this trial will successfully do is to detain GD from being in the public eye, nothing else (that is why we believe that it will last up to two years). Nothing will be revealed and we fear that this will probably soar their popularity even more; Greek citizens have always been more partial to underdogs -or the damned-. Unless this is the plan. Reports are already starting to note that there is only circumstantial evidence against GD, or of them acting as a criminal organization, and the weapons that authorities supposedly massed from their homes have already been reported to be contain licenses and/or were used for hunting, etc. Heck if they persecute GD as a criminal organization then shouldn't PASOK begin peeing in its pants as well? After all, most of its members have been accused of blackmail, money-laundering, extortion, etc. Anyone who has lived in Greece knows that PASOK operated a system that even the Cosa Nostra would have envied! Their network -which is still alive and kicking today but presents itself as SYRIZA- began at the top of the pyramid and went all the way down. Anyone who was not on their lists, was not a supporter, or in the past did not buy their party coupons, was shunned, ignored, left to die, or basically never EVER had the same opportunity, privileges or lifestyle that they did. They controlled everything. Should GD be persecuted by the Greek justice system for their ideology, and/or actions, then PASOK should also be persecuted and charged of running a criminal organization for the past 30+ years that allowed the Greek state to reach the state that it is today. One last thing, on Sunday night reporter Pavlos Tsimas on SKAI tv presented a report on the Golden Dawn party which we here at HellsaFrappe found quite entertaining. Those interviewed on the show are some of the strongest supporters of the anti-fascist movement, members of ANTARSYA and part of NGO's that are funded by the Soros foundation to protect migrants (which we all know actually exploit migrants but hey... who are we to doubt their intentions.) The report should be slammed by all, because it did not contain any objective reporting and relied solely on what propaganda channels such as MEGA and others have said over the last two years against the far-right party and the only opinions that were heard were those of GD's arch rival ANTARSYA. There was also no word about the two young GD supporters that were gunned down in front of the GD offices a short while after the rapper dies. It should be reminded that on November 1st, 2013, a terrorist attack took place at the Golden Dawn office of Neo Herakleio resulting in the death of two members of Golden Dawn, Manolis Kapelonis and Giorgos Fountoulis. The self-proclaimed organisation "Fighting People's Revolutionary Forces", claimed the responsibility for the attack, stating in its manifesto that it carried out as retaliation to the murder of Pavlos Fyssas. HellasFrappe decided not to post the video because we still believe in objective journalism and hate that channels such as MEGA and SKAI somehow forget that there were victims on both sides in this battle and not just one. Shame on them.