The incident with SYRIZA MP George Kyristis expressing support to Sakkas who was accused with links to terrorist group ‘Conspiracy of Fire Cells’ and robber Marios Seisidis, has left ruling party SYRIZA under under pressure in its efforts to strike a balance between exercising power as the elected government and its long-standing affiliations with small self-styled anti-establishment and solidarity groups. This latest incident comes days after the official government of SYRIZA was forced to release an announcement on the storming of a Church by a solidarity group inn Thessaloniki. Kyristis claimed in a post the two arrested felons were victimised due to their political views. The Greek government has yet to make any statements on the positions expressed by Kyristis on the matter, and most believe the government is trying to distance itself from the MP, as it is still gauging the impact on its image from its belated condemnation of the Church incident. It is becoming apparent that a rift between the political leadership of the Public Protection Ministry and a political strain within SYRIZA is brewing underneath the surface. Kyristis persisted that the two arrested men were being persecuted because of the political views.