The Golden Dawn trial continues with the testimony of police officer Giorgos Rotas, who arrested Golden Dawn supporter and self-confessed murderer Giorgos Roupakias, who brutally killed antifascist activist and rapper Pavlos Fyssas.
According to Rotas, the police did not intervene because there were only 8 officers on site against the 50-strong assault squad that gathered outside the café and which later attacked Fyssas and his friends. The officer explained that one of his colleagues – Tsolakidis – spoke to a man who claimed to ‘mediate’ the situation and that Tsolakidis noticed that the gang of neo-Nazi supporters carried brass knuckles. Nevertheless, Rotas claimed “there was no reason” to approach the gang.
Following the clash that resulted in the murder of Fyssas, Rotas told the court that he was ordered to detain anyone Golden Dawn supporters. He also told the court that he did not arrest any of the Golden Dawn gang members who ran away from the scene of the crime. When asked if he as aware of the danger posed by the Golden Dawn gang, the officer responded yes.
