Golden Dawn (Greek: Χρυσή Αυγή, Chrysi Avyi) is a Greek Nationalist political organization led by Nikolaos Michaloliakos in Greece. Golden Dawn opposes immigration, multiculturalism, Marxism, globalization, liberalism, anti-militarism and anarchism. Its ideology has its roots in the Ancient Spartan society of Lycurgus and Leonidas. It is also in favor of mass deportations of all illegal immigrants who reside in the country.
Chrysi Avyi is also the name of a newspaper and a magazine published by the organization.
Golden Dawn ceased political operations in 2005, and it was absorbed by the Patriotic Alliance, which ceased operations after Michaloliakos withdrew support. In March 2007, Golden Dawn held its sixth congress, where Party officials announced the resumption of their political activism. At local elections on November 7, 2010 Golden Dawn got 5,3% of the vote in the municipality of Athens, wining a seat at the City Council. In some neighbourhoods with big immigrant communities it even reached 20%.
Golden Dawn described itself as a "Popular Nationalist Movement" and "uncompromising Nationalists." Michaloliakos described Golden Dawn as opposing the "so-called Enlightenment" and the Industrial Revolution, while supporting National Socialism.
Golden Dawn claimed to have local organisations in 32 Greek cities, as well as in Cyprus.
The party created the Epitropi Ethnikis Mnimis (Committee of National Memory), to organise demonstrations commemorating the anniversaries of certain Greek national events. Since 1996, Epitropi Ethnikis Mninis organizes an annual march usually on January 31 in Athens, in memory of three Greek officers who died during the Imia military crisis. According to the European National Front website, the 2006 march was attended by 2,500 people. Epitropi Ethnikis Mninis has continued its activities, and the January 31 March took place in January 2010 where even more than 5.000 party members took part at the demonstration.
Epitropi Ethnikis Mnimis has organized annual rallies on June 17 in Thessalonica, in memory of Alexander the Great. Police confronted the 2006 rally participants, forcing Golden Dawn and Patriotic Alliance members to leave the area, while anti-fascist and leftist groups took over the square where the nationalist event was supposed to take place, causing damage and vandalisms. Later that day, Golden Dawn members gathered in the building of state-owned television channel ERT3 and protesting they tried to stop the channel from broadcasting. Police surrounded the building and arrested 48 Hrisi Avgi members. According to a Golden Dawn press release, those members were carrying Greek national flags which in court were considered to be "arms" and so they were found guilty of carrying them. They were condemned up to six and seven months imprisonment with suspension and were also fined €500.
In September 2005, Golden Dawn attempted to organise a festival called "Eurofest 2005 – Nationalist Summer Camp" at the grounds of a Greek summer camp. The planned festival depended on the participation of the German National Democratic Party of Germany, the Italian Forza Nuova and the Romanian Noua Dreaptă. The festival was banned by the government, largely because of the reaction of anti-fascist groups.
In June 2007, Golden Dawn sent representatives to protest the G8 convention in Germany, together with the National Democratic Party of Germany and other European far-right organisations.
In May 2009, Golden Dawn took part in the European Elections receiving 23,564 votes corresponding to 0.46% of the total votes.
