In this Oct. 26, 2012, photo, extreme far-right Golden Dawn party lawmaker Ilias Panagiotaros speaks in his shop in central Athens, explaining his party's policies and rejects accusations that it has been involved in racist attacks in Greece. Human rights and immigrant groups say there has been an increase in racist attacks in Greece over the last year, as the country struggles through a protracted financial crisis. On the top left a picture of Serbian warlord Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan is displayed.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
On streets of Athens, racist attacks increase
In this Oct. 26, 2012, photo, extreme far-right Golden Dawn party lawmaker Ilias Panagiotaros speaks in his shop in central Athens, explaining his party's policies and rejects accusations that it has been involved in racist attacks in Greece. Human rights and immigrant groups say there has been an increase in racist attacks in Greece over the last year, as the country struggles through a protracted financial crisis. On the top left a picture of Serbian warlord Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan is displayed.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
By ELENA BECATOROS
Associated Press /
November 12, 2012
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The party’s tactics — handing out food to poor Greeks, pledging to protect those who feel unprotected by the police — are working. Recent opinion polls have shown Golden Dawn’s support rising to between 9 and 12 percent.
In late August, the conservative-led coalition government began addressing the issue of illegal immigration by rounding up migrants. By early November, they had detained more than 48,480 people, arresting 3,672 of them for being in the country illegally.
Rights groups also warn that what started as xenophobic attacks is now spreading to include anyone who might disagree with the hard-right view. Greek society must understand that the far-right rise doesn’t just concern migrants, said Kanakis.
‘‘It has to do with all of us,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s a problem of everyday democracy.’’
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Dalton Bennett in Athens contributed.
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