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The neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn had organized a real spectacle of nationalistic kitsch which was reminiscent of the ceremonies with lighted torches, bonfires, etc. of the famous American racist Ku Klux Klan.

Mobilizing the local organizations in Greece and on the occasion of the anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae, Golden Dawn was able to gather at the monument of Leonidas hundreds of its supporters who had performed the military-type ceremony exactly with typical commands, torches, summoning of the dead, laying of wreaths, etc.

Particularly impressive are the videos uploaded by the organization on its official website. They show how dozens of members of the youth’s organization of Golden Dawn are forming the typical Greek meander ornament with their bodies, holding in their hands lighted torches which, according to the official version of the far-right party, are "the symbol of the souls of the heroes".

The ceremony took place to the sounds of drums and military commands with references to ancient Greek texts. It ended with Golden Dawn’s anthem (which, by the way, says "we, the young men, we are Spartans") and members of the party lit fireworks.

The cult to antiquity

A similar event was organized in the same place not only a year ago but also earlier, as the cult to antiquity has always occupied an important place in the ideological "showcase" of Golden Dawn. Within the preparation of this year's ceremony, it was planned for the local organizations to organize the bus transportation of people across the country to the place of the event.

The plans, of course, do not stop there, as the neo-Nazi organization is preparing a new "show of memory", which will take place in the village of Meligalas, Messinia area, next Sunday.

The speech of leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos

During the ceremony at Thermopylae, Golden Dawn’s leader delivered a speech filled with excessive populism and with far-right calls and threats to the country's political system. All the time the party's supporters chanted "scoundrels, traitors, politicians", "we will return and the earth will tremble", "people, army, nationalism"...

A photo from the event at Thermopylae showing the leader of Golden Dawn, Nikolaos Mihaloliakos, with his right hand raised in the Nazi salute

The leader of the far-right organization spoke of "Grekilistan", "pseudo Romans" and "pseudo Greece" where "nightmares are ruling and the supporters of the enemy are respected".

Mihaloliakos talked about "the miserable statelet we want to destroy in order for the new Greece of nationalists, the new Greece of Golden Dawn to be born", pointing out that the public is in the grip of a "historical consciousness" and that it has been taken over by "professors of disasters".

He did not hesitate to point out that Golden Dawn would produce "new Thermopylae" in an era of "denial of nationalism". Nikolaos Mihaloliakos’ speech was full of direct threats such as "we will tell all those who have ceded the sovereignty of the country 'I have not forgotten'." There will come the day of the court of history and it will judge, and, hopefully, this time will be the time of Golden Dawn. Let them finally understand that they will not easily deal with us"...