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Greece's Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos held | 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. | Greek police have arrested the leader of the far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikolaos Mihaloliakos, on charges of forming a criminal organisation. |
Four more Golden Dawn MPs, a leader in an Athens suburb and nine other party members have also been arrested. | |
The arrests come amid anger over the murder on 18 September of anti-racist musician, Pavlos Fyssas. | |
A man held for the stabbing told police he was a Golden Dawn supporter, though the party strongly denies any link. | |
One of the MPs arrested on Saturday was party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris. | |
Golden Dawn has called on its supporters to rally outside the police headquarters in Athens and has vowed to fight back. | |
'Bodyguard' held | 'Bodyguard' held |
The killing of Pavlos Fyssas, 34 - whose stage name was Killah P - has sparked protests in Athens and across Greece. | |
George Roupakias, 45, who said he was a supporter of Golden Dawn, was arrested. He was charged with voluntary manslaughter and illegal possession of a weapon. | |
The government launched a crackdown, including raids on Golden Dawn premises. | |
Two senior police officials resigned for "personal reasons" after the killing and another two were suspended. Seven other police officers were suspended. | |
Greek police also 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. | The government also began an inquiry into the activities of Golden Dawn, which won nearly 7% of the vote in 2012 elections. |
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has vowed not to let the party "undermine" democracy, and government officials say it must now be treated as a "criminal organisation". | |
Golden Dawn, Greece's third most popular party, has accused the government of carrying out a witch hunt over the Fyssas killing. | |
Mr Michaloliakos, 56, said last week: "Everyone is talking about us without asking us. They are throwing dirt from morning to evening, and these great Democrats are not giving us an inch to respond." | |
On Friday, Golden Dawn threatened to pull its 18 MPs out of the 300-strong Hellenic Parliament. | |
The ensuing by-elections could threaten Mr Samaras's fragile coalition, which has 155 seats. | |
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. | 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. |
Golden Dawn officially denies being a neo-Nazi movement, though its badge resembles a swastika, some senior members have praised Adolf Hitler, and its members wear black T-shirts and combat trousers at anti-immigrant demonstrations. |