Thessaloniki's Mayoral Oath Contained Outbursts

The clash began a little before the beginning of the ceremony in the municipal council chambers when the two different factions, occupying two different balconies exchanged slurs.

Mayor Yanniis Boutaris who came to the ceremony wearing a yellow Star of David to underscore his own antifascist sentiments as mayor of a city, that before the holocaust boasted a vibrant Jewish population, tried to calm things down to no avail.

Golden Dawn supporters broke out in applause when Golden Dawn member and municipal counselor Artemis Mathaiopoulos entered the chamber, also shouting “no jail for nationalists” with the antifascists shouting in return “Not in councils, nor anywhere, bust fascism at every neighborhood.”

Three banners had also been raised in the chamber by two antiracist and antifascist groups and a group representing workers at the city's psychiatric hospital.  The shouting match went on for quite a while and continued after the swearing in ceremony.