Athens Anti-fascist Rallies Turn Violent

An anti-fascist demonstration in Athens turned violent in the late hours of Wednesday, after protesters clashed with police.

Thousands marched towards the offices of the extreme nationalist Golden Dawn party, Greek daily Kathimerini reports. Anger has been mounting in the Greek capital after last week's murder of leftist rapper Pavlos Fyssas, for which affiliates of the party are suspected.

The protests started off peacefully at the Syntagma Square, where students, labor unions and leftists gathered, while hip-hop groups held a memorial concert.

As the march headed towards the offices of Golden Dawn, the police forces intervened to block them. A small group broke off, throwing stones, setting fire to trash bins, and breaking nearby office windows.

The Ombudsman of Greece warns in a report that, “the increase in racist violence, going unpunished by the authorities, creates a serious social division within the country and undermines its basic values”.

Golden Dawn in Greece's third most popular party with 18 seats in Parliament.

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