Greek Nazi link group 'set up here'

Nino Bucci April 4, 2013

Members of Melbourne's Greek community are seeking to prevent Golden Dawn MPs from entering Australia.

A Greek political party with links to neo-Nazis say they have established themselves in Melbourne, but have no interest in Australian politics.

Golden Dawn, which was founded by a Holocaust denier and whose members have been linked to dozens of violent protests in Greece, claims to have set up a group in Melbourne filled with Greek-Australians who will ''fight and defend both of our countries with pride and honour''.

The group sent an email to Fairfax Media criticising the ''lies'' of reporters, politicians and Greek community leaders since controversial Golden Dawn MP Ilias Kasidiaris announced plans for a Melbourne office and a visit from MPs on a Melbourne radio station in February.

A member of the Golden Dawn party holds a flag bearing their party's logo.

The group claims to have more than 200 members in Melbourne, but about 3000 "followers". It plans to open offices in Melbourne soon but had been established in the city since 2010.

Mr Kasidiaris and Ilias Panagiotaros, who once threatened to raid hospitals and kindergartens and throw immigrants and their children out on the street so that Greeks could take their place, are the two Golden Dawn MPs who are expected to visit Melbourne, the group claim.

The visit is planned to coincide with October 28, a public holiday celebrating Ioannis Metaxa, who was described by the group as "our great fascist leader".

''We are Golden Dawn Melbourne and we have set up here, our aims are to raise awareness of the current political situation in Greece to Greek-Australians,'' the email reads.

''We are not interested in Australian politics nor do we want do get involved in Australian politics. Australian politics is a dictatorship which is not true democracy.''

Golden Dawn was not racist but was opposed to illegal immigration, the group stated. They wrote that this was because illegal immigrants had turned every suburb in Athens, apart from affluent areas, into ghettos.

They claimed that Golden Dawn was the only Greek political party that donated ''all its money to feeding poor and needy'' Greeks.

The group would not comment on the level of aid and support it had provided Golden Dawn in Greece.

''If it is OK for Israel to have only Jews as its citizens, then I'm sure the oldest race in the world, the Hellenic race, has a right to only have Hellenes in our country as citizens.''

According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, about 75 per cent of the Israeli population is Jewish.

Anti-fascist groups clashed with Greeks wearing Golden Dawn clothing during a march celebrating Greek Independence held in Melbourne last week.

A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor said the MPs would have to pass a character test to obtain a visa, like any other person who wished to enter Australia.

Last month, Prime Minister Julia Gillard told Neos Kosmos, a newspaper for Melbourne's Greek population, said the MPs would not be stopped from travelling to Australia but that did not mean their views had any local support.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, who believes he was deported from Malaysia in February because of his views on that country's government, said he did not think the MPs should be prevented from entering the country.

But he warned that any plan to set up a Melbourne office should be closely monitored as it could lead to funds being sent back to Greece to aid Golden Dawn.

Golden Dawn MPs

Nikos Michaloliakos: Leader and founder of the Golden Dawn party. Has denied existence of Nazi gas chambers used during World War II.

Eleni Zaroulia: Michaloliakos' wife and deputy leader. Has described immigrants as "sub-human".

Giorgos Germenis: Former bassist from a neo-Nazi band.

Ilias Panagiotaros: Threatened to raid hospitals and kindergartens and throw immigrants and their children out on the street so that Greeks could take their place.

Konstantinos Mparmparousis: Allegedly participated in an Athens protest last October where several migrants were bashed.

Ioannis Lagos: Told parliament in February that it was "unacceptable" that Greeks commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Nikos Kouzilos: One of several Golden Dawn MPs with a lower profile. Member of the Standing Committee on Cultural and Educational Affairs and Special Permanent Committee on Research and Technology.

Ilias Kasidiaris: Former army commando who assaulted two women during a live television debate before the election last June. Watch footage of the assault here.

Nikos Michos: Among several Golden Dawn MPs who attended an event in Greece last month that was marred by violent protests that left several anti-fascist protesters in hospital.

Antonis Gregos: Aims to have Golden Dawn members visit schools to ensure teachers are focused on homeland, religion and family.

Polyvios Zisimopoulos: Golden Dawn candidate for deputy speaker who failed to win the post usually assigned for opposition MPs when other parties decided not to support a Golden Dawn representative.

Dimitris Koukoutsis: Claimed the assault by colleague Ilias Kasidiaris on two female MPs during a live television debate had boosted support for Golden Dawn.

Panagiotis Iliopoulos: Has a tattoo of the Nazi victory phrase 'sieg heil' on the inside of his left bicep.

Efstathios Mpoukouras: Another MP with a low profile. Member of Standing Committee on Production and Trade.

Crysovalantis Alexopoulos: Supported a protest by Greek farmers in January. Party believes farmers are the "backbone" of a self-sufficient state.

Nikitas Siois: Former MP who reportedly resigned because she had too many employment opportunities outside parliament.

Christos Pappas: Walked on to a police bus and freed a protester who had been arrested during a violent rally opposing a play that depicted Jesus and the Apostles as gay.

Michalis Arvanitis: Bashed last May before a TV interview. Was due to speak about Golden Dawn supporters storming a building used by migrants for shelter after Afghans were charged with murdering a Greek man.

Greek Nazi link group 'set up here'