Far-right group attacks North Macedonian artist’s exhibition in Greece

ATHENS

A group from a far-right banned political party attacked an exhibition of an artist from North Macedonia in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki, local media reported on Thursday.

The group claimed to be affiliated with the Golden Dawn party, which was banned in Oct. 2020, and stormed into the exhibition hall and dropped the paintings, said the daily To Pontiki.

The daily reported, citing witnesses, that group members were enraged, saying it was a disgrace to allow this exhibition in Thessaloniki, where many Greeks fought to render.

However, the group later posted a video on the internet, claiming that it was an intervention rather than an attack, according to the media outlet.

Following the attack, the exhibition hall's staff removed the North Macedonian artist's paintings.

Later that afternoon, the daily Kathimerini reported that Thessaloniki city law enforcement had launched a preliminary investigation to identify the perpetrators and charge them in accordance with the country's laws.

The Greek Communist Party (KKE) in a statement condemned the police for failing to stop the incident.

"The attack by the fascist group from the Golden Dawn on the exhibition simply because of the nationality of the artist demonstrates once again the true face of the fascists,” the party said in a statement.

Meanwhile, North Macedonia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Greek Ambassador to the country's capital Skopje, Sofia Filippidou, was summoned to the ministry over the incident.

"Our neighbor is expected to take measures to identify and prosecute the perpetrators," the statement said.