Clashes erupt in Greek capital between far-right, leftist groups

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Clashes broke out between far-right and leftist groups in parts of Greece’s capital Wednesday on the 10th anniversary of the murder of two members of the far-right Golden Dawn party, local media reported.

Around 50 far-right militants attacked a group of leftists at Athens’ Monastiraki Railway Station who were commuting back from the Neo Iraklio neighborhood, where an anti-fascist rally was held earlier, said the left-leaning Avgi daily.

Several people were injured as a result of clashes, in which the far-right group used fire extinguishers and stones, it added.

The daily, like many other leftist and anarchist news outlets and social media accounts, claimed the police did not intervene in the clashes and tried to provoke the leftist group.

Earlier, clashes also erupted between police and anarchists around Victoria Square, also located in central Athens.

While the police claimed that the group attacked them and their vehicles with stones, leftist outlets claimed that police threw pepper gas bombs at the group.

Meanwhile, the Greek Police Directorate announced that they had arrested a total of 39 people over violent incidents across the city.

On Nov. 1, 2013, Giorgos Fountoulis and Manos Kapelonis were killed in a drive-by shooting by two unknown anarchists in retaliation for the fatal stabbing of leftist activist and rapper Pavlos Fyssas, also known as Killah P, on Sept. 18, 2013 outside the offices of the far-right Golden Dawn party in Athens’ northern suburb of Neo Iraklio.