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Greece's Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos held | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Greek police have arrested the leader of the far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikolaos Mihaloliakos, on charges of forming a criminal organisation. | |
Another Golden Dawn MP has been held and more warrants issued, police say. | |
The arrests and warrants come amid anger over the murder on 18 September of anti-racist musician, Pavlos Fyssas. | |
A man arrested for the stabbing told police he was a supporter of Golden Dawn, though the party strongly denies any link. | A man arrested for the stabbing told police he was a supporter of Golden Dawn, though the party strongly denies any link. |
"The Secretary General and one lawmaker of the Golden Dawn Party were arrested a short while ago after arrest warrants were issued," Greek police said in a text message. | |
The other MP arrested was said to be Ilias Kasidiaris. | |
The BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens says that this is an unprecedented crackdown on a political party. | |
'Bodyguard' held | |
The killing of Pavlos Fyssas - whose stage name was Killah P - has sparked protests in Athens and across Greece. | |
George Roupakias, who said he was a supporter of Golden Dawn, was arrested. | |
The government launched a crackdown, including raids on Golden Dawn premises and the suspension of police believed to be sympathisers. | |
Greek police arrested one of their own colleagues who was reportedly working as a bodyguard for the party, during a raid on its offices in the western town of Agrinio on Tuesday. | |
The government also began an inquiry into the activities of Golden Dawn, which won nearly 7% of the vote in 2012 elections. | |
In recent months, Golden Dawn has been accused of perpetrating attacks on migrants and political opponents - including an attack on Communist Party members earlier this month which is said to have left nine people in hospital. |