Greek Parliament Votes To Lift Golden Dawn Immunity
Golden Dawn members

A neo-Nazi mob affiliated to the Greek Golden Dawn party has intimidated a polyclinic of the human rights organisation Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World) because it was providing healthcare services and medication to immigrants.

The gang of around 30 people, dressed in the far-right party's uniforms, shouted "Blood, honour, Golden Dawn" and "Foreigners get out" outside the polyclinic in the Athens suburb of Perama, even though the facility also treats Greek patients.

At the time of the threats, around 40 Greek and foreign patients, including many children, were inside the clinic.

MdM secretary Nikitas Kanakis said that 90% of the patients were Greeks, adding that "they will not scare us, medicine does not discriminate."

It it is not the first time that the Perama branch of Medecins du Monde has been intimidated by Golden Dawn. The organisation provides free primary health care to people who cannot afford those services in Greece, and its patient roster has been growing steadily since the financial crisis struck.

In February 2013, patients and staff at the clinic were targeted by Golden Dawn members, who shouted racist slogans.

Medecins du Monde released a statement in the aftermath of the attack, saying:

We declare that we refuse to "take fright" and we will staunchly continue to defend the right to healthcare wherever there are people.

We deem that Golden Dawn bears moral responsibility for any potential attacks our clinics may be subjected to in the future and for this reason the relevant authorities will be notified accordingly.

We call upon the Greeks who share the same solidarity principles with us to support our efforts with even greater determination.

Last year, members of the neo-Nazi party clashed with a group of Roma in a raid on Kalamata Hospital in southern Peloponnese.

The extremists, led by MP Dimitris Koukoutsis, swooped on the hospital hunting for foreign nurses.