GOVERNMENT FINALLY BANS PLANNED RACIST

UNCLAS ATHENS 002376 SIPDIS FOR EUR/SE, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF PGOV KCRM GR HRIGHTS SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT FINALLY BANS PLANNED RACIST "HATEFEST" ¶1. Summary: On September 6 the Greek government said it would ban a planned pan-European "festival" of extreme right-wing political groups, sponsored by the Greek racist, neo-Nazi group Golden Dawn. The gathering, scheduled for mid-late September and reportedly to include far-right groups such as Italy's Forza Nuova, had been strongly criticized by Jewish and anti-racist organizations, opposition political parties, local officials and the Simon Weisenthal Center. The GoG initially took no action for fear of drawing attention to an event that it originally deemed unimportant. End Summary. ¶2. On September 6 GoG spokesman Roussopoulos stated that the GoG would take all measures to prevent a planned gathering of European extremist and racist organizations from taking place. The self-styled "Hatefest 2005" event, scheduled for mid-late September, in a place not revealed and changed several times due to local reactions, was initiated by the Greek neo-Nazi group "Chryssi Avghi" (Golden Dawn) and was to include far-right organizations from throughout Europe, including Germany's NPD, Italy's Forza Nuova, and Spain's Falange. Public Order Minister Voulgarakis echoed Roussopoulos' comments, saying the event was not welcome. ¶3. The event had promised a "unique gathering," including "racial rock music" and "inspiring messages," according to the Golden Dawn's website. In addition, the event would have "Turkey, Out of Europe" as one of its main slogans. Members of the far right, including Ugo Voigt, who leads the National Democratic Party in Germany, and Roberto Fiore of the Italian party Forza Nuova were set to address the crowds. Organizers said that they were hoping for a surprise appearance by Jean-Marie Le Pen, the French far-right leader who once called the Nazi gas chambers a "mere detail" of history. ¶4. The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece had been very critical of the Greek government's delay in condemning the planned event, while the Simon Wiesenthal Center called on the GoG to block what it called "the defamation of the 60th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust." The Center called on PM Karamanlis "to prevent this profanation of the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Holocaust, and to draw its lessons by ensuring Greek commitments to the European Union, the Council of Europe and the OSCE, to prosecute all incitement to hatred." The President of the Central Board of Greek Jewish Communities (KIS),Moses Konstantinis, expressed satisfaction "that the efforts of KIS finally had as a result the banning of the festival" ¶5. Local officials in the places where the event was rumored to take place vowed to block the festival for fear of violence stemming from the reaction of anti- racism activists. ¶6. COMMENT: Although alerted to the event in early summer, the government delayed in issuing a banning because it believed the event was unimportant and that it would only draw more attention, if prohibited. In the end, however, growing domestic and international criticism compelled the GoG to act.