At that time, several members of the "Golden Dawn", who seem to have been informed of his presence while handing out leaflets with their own election material in the area, rushed along with cameras that, according to some information, belonged to foreign media reporting on the rise of the far right in Greece. They insulted him, threw coffee and water at him, as well as at his interlocutors, shouted slogans such as "vagrants, traitors, politicians" and left a few minutes before the arrival of the Police who had already been called, after first chanting the National Anthem.
Mr. Efthimiou immediately informed the President of PASOK, Evanglos Venizelos, who referred to the incident at the beginning of his pre-election speech in Lamia at night. "Parliament cannot be a place of reception for the followers of Nazism and fascism," he said, and after condemning the action he called on all political forces to unite to form a "strong front for the defense of democracy and rights and I am glad that the response of the other political forces of the parliamentary arc to this invitation ".
PASOK representative Fofi Gennimata, in a statement issued, states, among other things, that "forty-five years after the imposition of the colonels' coup, Golden Dawn supporters chose April 21 to use violence at an event of PASOK candidate Petros Efthymiou. "The audacity of the Golden Dawn was reinforced by the conspiracy theories that have been developed and by the bold words of the forces of denial."
Former Prime Minister George Papandreou also commented on the incident, saying that "attacks on politicians and citizens are the tip of the iceberg."
The dilemma before us, he said, "is not just economic. As much as Greece hurts today, how we deal with the crisis will be crucial for the future. The means by which we will fight, the practices that we will follow and the perceptions that we will cultivate, also concern the result, what we will reap tomorrow. That is why the dilemma today is between democracy and barbarism. "
The attack of the members of "Chrysi Avgi" against Mr. Efthymiou was condemned by all the parties with their announcements.
New Democracy spokesman Giannis Michelakis said that "Hitler's hoodlums and nostalgia are a shame for all of us and a stigma for democracy," condemning the attack and calling for an in-depth investigation. "It's the day of remembrance of a black anniversary. "And, unfortunately, some people wanted to bring it back to our memory," he added.
The KKE accused PASOK and ND of using the attack against P. Efthymiou for vote-buying reasons, "while covering up the real causes of the fascist phenomenon, which among others is their anti-popular policy and the cultivation of racism and nationalism. The fascist "Golden Dawn" is not only not an anti-systemic organization as it appears, but it is a child of the capitalist system, its reserve, which it needs to crush the working class and the poor, when it finds it difficult to do so with the carrot. . "Let us remember that Le Pen in France was financially and politically supported by the socialist Mitterrand." And the KKE concludes that the way of struggle for the confrontation of such organizations is the organization of the working class and its alliance with the self-employed, at the same time with the strengthening of the KKE ".
"Until now, the far-left anti-authoritarians have been provoking. Now, the neo-Nazis are entering the game of challenges. "If there is no reaction from the Greek society, then the Republic will accept great challenges", said the spokesman of LAOS and head of the State ballot of the party George Kyrtsos.
"The provocative and fascist mentality and behavior of the Golden Dawn has been denounced for years by the forces of the Left, which has a constant front against this organization. The violent action of this organization that operates as a parastate, has victims of Left executives, immigrants and other citizens "was the reaction of SYRIZA, which said that it is necessary to stop any tolerance of the extreme right agenda and rhetoric. In the announcement, Ms. Fofi Gennimata is called "to withdraw her clear hint that those who deny, denounce and oppose the memoranda strengthen the Golden Dawn."
"Today, the anniversary of the junta coup, is another opportunity for us all to think together about the value of a democratic parliamentary system and the need to defeat the far right that is trying to raise its head," the Democratic Left said in a statement. of Mr. Efthymiou.
On behalf of the Democratic Alliance, spokesman Thanasis Zorbas said he condemned the violence wherever it came from. "We call on the people and the democratic parties to unite in order to isolate the extreme minorities who want to make violence part of our daily lives."
A few hours later, again in Maroussi, outside the City Hall, tension arose shortly before the scheduled speech of the Minister of Civil Protection, and candidate in Athens II Michalis Chrysochoidis, when a group of people from the anti-authoritarian space shouted slogans and threw banners flywheel. The police officers who had already been deployed in their area were removed and seven arrests were made, while Mr. Chrysochoidis' speech took place normally. According to information, one of the reasons that the presence of Mr. Chrysochoidis gave rise to tension is connected with the liquidation operation of two buildings owned by IKA, on Friday morning, in the area of Exarcheia.