More than 60 people gathered at the Greek Consulate here, Jan. 19, in protest of the Greek anti-immigrant group, Golden Dawn.

Golden Dawn has been accused to carry out violent attacks on immigrants and spouts fascist rhetoric.

There were protests in Athens and in other cities around the world as part of a day of solidarity with recent victims of racist attacks in Greece.

In Chicago, protesters included immigrant rights activists, Greek Americans and gay activists.

Joe Iosbaker, a Chicago anti-war activist and member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke to the protesters.

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 been accused 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.

[youtube]LBoBqWMwzWQ[/youtube]

(source: fightbacknews, enewspf)



