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Thirteen years have passed since the night of September 18, 2013, when 34-year-old Greek rapper and anti-fascist musician Pavlos Fyssas, also known as Killah P, was fatally stabbed in Keratsini, near Piraeus, by Giorgos Roupakias, a member of the far-right Golden Dawn party.

The killing shocked Greece and became a turning point in the investigation into the activities of Golden Dawn, eventually leading to the organization’s conviction as a criminal organization by Greek courts.

Fyssas’ murder was described as the culmination of a series of violent attacks associated with the neo-Nazi organization, including assaults on members of the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), a Greek trade union movement, in Perama and on Egyptian fishermen.

The anniversary comes as the wider Piraeus area hosts several days of memorial events and anti-fascist demonstrations. Traffic restrictions have also been put in place because of Friday’s events.

13 Years Since the Murder of Greek Rapper Pavlos Fyssas

Anti-fascist rally outside the Court of Appeals as the verdict was announced in the second-instance trial of the “Golden Dawn” case, Wednesday, March 5, 2026. (Danae Davlopoulou/EUROKINISSI)

The night Pavlos Fyssas was killed

On the evening of September 17, 2013, Fyssas was at the Koralli cafe in the Amfiali neighborhood with friends, watching a soccer match.

Shortly before midnight, Greece’s emergency police service was alerted to a group of dozens of people carrying clubs and moving toward the area. Police officers from the DIAS motorcycle unit subsequently spotted around 20 to 30 people in the area.

A short time later, on Panagi Tsaldari Street, Roupakias attacked Fyssas with a knife.

Despite the severity of his injuries, Fyssas identified his attacker to police officers, who arrested Roupakias at the scene and confiscated the knife.

Fyssas was taken to the General State Hospital of Nikaia, where he was pronounced dead in the early hours of September 18.

From the 2013 killing to the 2026 final ruling

The murder prompted mass reactions across Greece and brought wider scrutiny to Golden Dawn’s activities. The subsequent case included other serious allegations of violence, including the attacks on Egyptian fishermen in Perama and PAME union members.

13 Years Since the Murder of Greek Rapper Pavlos Fyssas

Inauguration of the offices of the “Pavlos Killah P Fyssas” cultural association at the Piraeus Labor Center, Sunday, February 1, 2026. (Danae Davlopoulou/EUROKINISSI)

The 2020 first-instance ruling

On October 7, 2020, after five and a half years of hearings, the Three-Member Court of Appeals for Felonies ruled that Golden Dawn was a criminal organization.

Seven former members of Parliament were convicted of leading a criminal organization, while Roupakias was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The 2026 final ruling

In March 2026, the Five-Member Court of Appeals for Felonies brought the judicial proceedings to a final conclusion, upholding the convictions of all 42 defendants.

Leading figures, including Nikolaos Michaloliakos, Ilias Kasidiaris, Ioannis Lagos, Christos Pappas, Giorgos Germenis and Ilias Panagiotaros, received 13-year prison sentences. Artemios Matthaiopoulos was sentenced to 10 years, while Roupakias’ life sentence was upheld.

13 Years Since the Murder of Greek Rapper Pavlos Fyssas

Anti-fascist rally and march in Keratsini marking 12 years since the murder of Pavlos Fyssas by the criminal organization Golden Dawn, Thursday, September 18, 2025. (Michalis Karagiannis/EUROKINISSI)

Magda Fyssas becomes a symbol for victims’ families

Throughout the 13 years, Pavlos Fyssas’ mother, Magda Fyssas, attended every court hearing.

After the appeals trial concluded in March 2026, she said that “the obvious was done” as she left the courthouse carrying a sign reading “Pavlos, we did it.”

She has since become a prominent figure of support and solidarity for families of victims of violent crimes.

Memorial events and traffic restrictions

Memorial events and anti-fascist demonstrations are reaching their peak Friday, with the main gathering scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Pavlos Fyssas memorial in Keratsini.

Because of the expected crowds, Greek traffic police will introduce rolling traffic closures and prohibit stopping and parking in parts of Nikaia and Keratsini from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.