Greece Crackdown: Golden Dawn Leader Michaloliakos Charged

BBC: The leader of the far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikolaos Michaloliakos, has been formally charged with belonging to a criminal organisation.

Four more Golden Dawn MPs, a party leader in an Athens suburb and 15 other people face the same charges.

They were arrested on Saturday 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.

The MPs arrested on Saturday were party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, Ilias Panayiotaros, Nikos Michos and Ioannis Lagos. It is the first time since 1974 that a party leader and MPs have been arrested.

It was an extraordinary moment to see the five MPs being escorted in handcuffs by armed police in balaclavas, BBC Athens correspondent Mark Lowen reports.

They will now return to police headquarters and are likely to be refused bail before their trial, our correspondent says.

Mr Panayiotaros told reporters before giving himself up: "Shame on them, the people will lift Golden Dawn higher." » | Saturday, September 28, 2013

Golden Dawn Leader Charged with Heading a Criminal Gang »

Golden Dawn Leader Charged with Heading a Criminal Gang

THE GUARDIAN: Nikos Michaloliakos appears in court after he is arrested along with key members of his Greek neo-fascist party


The leader of Greece's Golden Dawn party, widely viewed as Europe's most violent political force, appeared in court on Saturday night on charges of heading a criminal gang after police mounted an unprecedented crackdown on the neo-fascist party, arresting Nikos Michaloliakos and other key members of his organisation.

After a police operation in which anti-terrorism officers stormed the homes of Golden Dawn politicians across Athens, Michaloliakos and five of his MPs were seized. Fifteen other senior party activists, including a female police officer, were taken into custody accused of fomenting violence as members of a criminal organisation. Reading from a nine-page charge sheet, a public prosecutor accused the far-rightists of murder, extortion and money laundering.

The crackdown was hailed as "a historic day for Greece and Europe" by the public order minister, Nikos Dendias, who oversaw the operation, known only to three security officials before it was launched a little after dawn. "Golden Dawn tried to test the endurance of democracy," he said in a televised address, insisting that the inquiry into the party's illegal activities would continue apace. "Today it got an answer from state justice." » | Helena Smith in Athens | The Observer | Saturday, September 28, 2013

Greece's Golden Dawn Leader Nikolaos Mi[c]haloliakos Held

Nikolaos Michaloliakos

BBC: Greek police have arrested the leader of the far-right Golden Dawn party, Nikolaos Mi[c]haloliakos, on charges of forming a criminal organisation.

Another Golden Dawn MP has been held and more warrants issued, police said.

The arrests and warrants come amid anger over the murder of anti-racist musician, Pavlos Fyssas, who was fatally stabbed on 18 September.

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Greece described Saturday's events as "an unprecedented clampdown on the neo-Nazi party". Watch BBC video » | Saturday, September 28, 2013

Party Leader of Greece's Far-right Golden Dawn Arrested

Nikos Michaloliakos, the leader of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn Party has been arrested by Greek police along with a party lawmaker following the fatal stabbing of an anti-racism rapper by a Golden Dawn supporter.

L’article en relation avec cette vidéo »

Greece Arrests Golden Dawn Leader in Crackdown on Far-right

Nikos Michalololiakos

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Greek police have arrested Nikos Michaloliakos, leader of the Golden Dawn party, as part of a wider crackdown on the far-right group.

Nikos Michaloliakos, 56, was arrested on Saturday morning on charges of founding a criminal organisation, with arrest warrants issued for dozens more party members and lawmakers, officials said.

"The Secretary General and one lawmaker of the Golden Dawn Party were arrested a short while ago after arrest warrants were issued," Greek police confirmed in a text message to journalists.

The arrest of Michaloliakos along with party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris comes as part of a wider crackdown on the far-right group after the murder of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas by an alleged Golden Dawn member, which sparked riots across the country.

Pavlos Fyssas – known by his stage name of Killah P – was stabbed to death in an Athens commuter town on September 17, triggering violent anti-fascist protests across the country. » | Andrew Marszal | Saturday, September 28, 2013