Greek villagers block Golden Dawn food handout on Thassos

Villagers on the Greek island of Thassos have prevented the nationalist Golden Dawn party from handing out free food and other basic goods.

To Vima newspaper said residents of Potamia did not let Golden Dawn members unload their truck and forced them to leave, shouting they were not welcome.

Golden Dawn, an anti-immigration party, has staged several "charity" food distributions for poor Greeks.

The party has 18 seats in the 300-strong Greek parliament.

One of the most right-wing parties in Europe, it is accused of anti-immigrant attacks, but denies violent activity.

To Vima says the anti-Golden Dawn protest in Potamia was organised by the cultural centre, local football team and some other residents. Thassos is in the northern Aegean Sea, near the coast of Thrace.

Earlier Golden Dawn had distributed food in the village of Limenaria, but few had accepted the charity, the report said.

Last year Golden Dawn took advantage of public anger over the financial crisis, boosting its membership.

Last August party activists distributed food to Greeks in central Athens - but obliged recipients to show their identity papers, to prove their Greek citizenship.