The undisturbed invasion of the Greek Parliamentary building by the radical group “Rouvikonas” on Tuesday, has caused a political firestorm in Greece, as the major opposition party of New Democracy unleashed harsh criticism against the government of SYRIZA.
The incident that took place in broad daylight in downtown Athens, in one of the best-guarded buildings of the Greek capital was a symbolic action, as it is an attack on the House itself by the self-proclaimed anti-authoritarian group.
Major opposition party New Democracy said the attack was an “Absolute humiliation of the state” while stressing that this action proves that “it [government] can not even protect the building that symbolises the Hellenic Republic”.
The attack also exposed the incompetence of Greek authorities to clamp down on leftist-leaning, fringe anarchist groups, fuelling the public opinion’s perception that there were ideological links between the leftist SYRIZA government and the group of Rouvikonas.
It should be noted that the Greek House speaker and SYRIZA MP Nikos Voutsis, who reluctantly condemned the attack had intervened personally for the release of the group’s members in the previous invasion in the House in July 2017.
The group released a video explaining it had acted in solidarity to imprisoned terrorist Dimitris Koufodinas.
Police arrested one man that took part in the attack.
Meanwhile, the Police Chief ordered an internal investigation on the circumstances that led to the group entering the Parliamentary courtyard up to the building stairs.
The sense that there was no political will to address the issue was reinforced by the fact that authorities had been informed of a rise in possible actions against the Parliament and other targets by so-called anti-authoritarian groups, following the refusal by the Courts to grant a furlough to the convicted terrorist of November 17 assassin, Dimitris Koufodinas.
The majority of the Greek opposition parties categorically condemned the assault on the building. The Greek government waited a whole three hours before releasing a somewhat awkward and laconic statement.
The news about the vandalism of the House received wide coverage around the globe by international media.
