Theodoros Giannaros, member of ruling conservative New Democracy party and the party’s working group for Health launched a vicious racist attack on a refugee, describing him as a “monkey”.
Arash Hampay, a refugee from Iran living in Greece, posted a photo on twitter and wrote: “Fascists, I’m OK with my new homeland, I will continue to work to change my city. Our city must be cleansed of fascism. ”
Hey fascists
I’m ok in my new country,
you can’t choose my movement, I will continue to change my new city face and atmosphere, our city has to be clean of fascism.#Athens pic.twitter.com/7kfNbj2qKT— arash hampay آرشهمپای (@AHampay) September 1, 2019
Giannaros commented on this post in an extremely racist way and wrote: “You are gonna be kicked back where you came from, you monkey!
You are gonna be kicked back where you came from, you monkey!
— Theo Giannaros (@theogiannaros1) September 2, 2019
It is worth noting that Giannaros is a biologist-genetisist and a former governor of Elpis hospital. In an effort to “justify” his racist rant, he tweeted later:
Αποκάλεσα πίθηκο αυτόν τον τύπο που μας απεκάλεσε φασίστες, προφανώς για να μην πω κάτι που το επίπεδό μου δεν θα το επέτρεπε και οι “αλληλέγγυοι” το έκαναν θέμα! Κατά την άποψή τους, θα μας βρίζουν χυδαία και εμείς απλά θα το καταπίνουμε! pic.twitter.com/0vtn8cBUK7
— Theo Giannaros (@theogiannaros1) September 3, 2019
“i called monkey this guy who called us fascists, obviously in order not to say something that my level wouldn’t allow and the “solidarity [movement]” would make an issue out of it. According to their point of view, they will vulgary swear at us and we will simply swallow it!”
Prompt was the reaction of the New Democracy government with spokesman Stelios Petsas condemning Giannaros’ comment saying: “Such statements do not belong to our party!”
Critics on social media demand that New Democracy expels Giannaros from the party, as he is a public figure and should not use such language.
UPDATE: New Democracy expelled Giannaros on Wednesday afternoon.
PS I don’t know the refugee who wants to clean Athens from existing fascists, but the question is: why somebody felt personally offended and “vulgar” insulted?….
Why are politicians/ministers following individual twitter accounts? And why respond? If your “level” does not allow you to use certain words, then your “level” does not allow you to use monkey either! Not that I support either one of them, but who knows what the Iranian refugee has heard on the streets. And is Fascist now considered a vulgar swear word?
The appropriate action was taken. What is the phrase in English? “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.”
I have no issue with Iraqis but Why is an illegal immigrants from Iraq offensively calling Greece his “homeland”. Greece s the homeland of Greeks. Iraq is the homeland of Iraqis.
Slandering anyone that calls out illegal immigrants for violating our borders as “fascist’ is getting really old. The leftist Greeks that buy into this antihellenic racist rhetoric posing as “human rights” are essentially morons. The Iraq government does not support mass illegal immigration into Iraq. They expect their borders respected. As is is their right. And the same right applies to Greeks. Greeks need to boot these disrespectful that criminally violate our border out of Greece. Only legitimate refugees should get asylum and only TEMPORARY asylum If Greece does not do this Greece will eventually cease to exist as a Greek state (see Constaniniple today)
Dude, he was not from iraq! And nationality of the person is irrelevant and it doesnt matter who said it it matters what he said if it was insulting then whoever said it should face the aftermath but since when saying cleaning a city from negative stuff is insulting that a politician calls him monkey? :)))