Thousands of extreme-right supporters march in Athens to commemorate 1996 Greek-Turkish crisis
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}More than 5,000 supporters of Greece's extreme-right Golden Dawn party have marched past the U.S. Embassy in Athens, chanting anti-Turkish, anti-U.S. and anti-immigrant slogans to commemorate a 1996 border incident that caused a crisis between Greece and Turkey.
Many of the marchers held burning torches and hundreds of motorcyclists brought up the rear.
Saturday's march ended peacefully.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 1996 incident involved two uninhabited islets off the Turkish coast whose ownership is disputed by Turkey and Greece.
Nationalists from both countries planted flags on the islets, and a military confrontation between the two nations was only averted after U.S. intervention. Three Greek navy officers died when their helicopter crashed during a reconnaissance mission in the area.
Withdrawal of the Greek flag was seen by nationalists as a shameful capitulation.