Protesters clash with police during a rally in Athens, Greece, Sept. 16, 2017. An anti-fascist rally was held in central Athens on Sept.16, 2017, marking the fourth anniversary of the murder of a Greek anti-fascist activist by a supporter of the far-right Golden Dawn party. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)
By Maria Spiliopoulou
ATHENS, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- An anti-fascist rally was held in central Athens on Saturday, marking the fourth anniversary of the murder of a Greek anti-fascist activist by a supporter of the far- Right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) party.
Rapper Pavlos Fyssas, 34, was stabbed to death by Yorgos Roupakias at Keratsini, a Piraeus port suburb, outside a cafeteria.
It was the first politically motivated crime committed by a GD supporter since the party's entrance in parliament for the first time in 2012, riding on the wave of discontent over austerity.
The musician's killing sent shockwaves across the country and triggered a judicial crackdown on Golden Dawn.
Four years later, the trial of the party's leadership on charges of establishing and running a criminal organization, along Roupakias, is still continuing.
All defendants, including Roupakias, have been released from custody.
About 2,500 anti-fascist activists and representatives of migrants' associations gathered in front of the parliament on Saturday and marched to GD's headquarters demanding "justice with no further delays".
"Pavlos is still alive, kick neo-Nazis out," read banners raised by protesters before the demonstration ends in minor scuffles between groups of anarchists and police.
Hooded protesters pelted rocks and petrol bombs at police forces who responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Four years later, GD still holds ground in polls and is still the third larger party inside the Greek parliament.
Attacks against migrants and political opponents by groups of GD members have been reduced, but not vanished.
Last April, a Greek student was severely injured during an attack by a group of hooded men outside GD's headquarters.
"These offices must close down, because such criminal attacks are orchestrated there," Maria Kaskarika, the student's mother told a press briefing ahead of Saturday's rally.
Magda Fyssa, the dead rapper's mother, assisted by his friends and musicians is organizing a second rally at Piraeus on Monday which will end in a concert.
