NOVANEWS
Truck driver George Roupakias, 45, who has allegedly confessed his affiliation to neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, arrived at the court in Piraeus, near Athens, wearing a purple t-shirt and a bullet-proof vest.
His appearance before an investigating judge took place under a heavy blanket of security, with police and special forces surrounding the court.
Roupakias is suspected of the fatal stabbing of 34-year-old hip hop artist Pavlos Fyssas, also known as Killah P, in the working-class Athens district of Keratsini early on Wednesday.
Police say he admitted to the crime shortly after he was arrested.
Golden Dawn quickly denied links with the alleged killer, but pictures soon surfaced of Roupakias participating in party activities and members of his family reportedly worked for the organisation.
The authorities are now bringing the full force of the law against the party and on Wednesday Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said he would not allow Golden Dawn to “poison” society and “undermine” democracy.
On Friday, Citizen’s Protection Minister Nikos Dendias handed the investigation of alleged Golden Dawn crimes to the nation’s elite anti-terrorism squad.
Capitalising on rising social tensions in crisis-hit Greece, Golden Dawn was first elected to parliament in 2012 with nearly seven percent of the vote, winning 18 seats out of an overall 300.
Thousands took to the street this week to protest against far-right extremism, while police clashed with protesters in cities across the country late on Wednesday.
More anti-fascist protests are planned for Saturday.
Greek man seized over stabbing of anti-Nazi hip-hop artist
Police in Greece have arrested a man in connection with the murder of hip-hop artist and anti-fascist activist Pavlos Fyssas.
The suspect is a self-confessed member of the far-right group, Golden Dawn.
Following the arrest of the 45-year-old, who has not been named, police raided a number of Golden Dawn offices in Athens.
The victim, who performed under the name of Killah P, is said to have identified his attacker after being taken to hospital.
His death has sparked huge anti-Golden Dawn protests across the Greek capital.
Fysass was ambushed as he left a cafe.
Anti-fascist activists claim police stood by as the performer was stabbed.
The killing comes days after Golden Dawn launched attacks on members of the Greek Communist Party.
Greece has become a deeply polarised country since financial crisis and support for Golden Dawn has rocketed.
Anti-fascist protestors clash with police in Greece
In Greece protesters clashed with police as thousands demonstrated against fascism following the murder of a leftist musician by a suspected neo-Nazi.
Police fired tear gas at protesters in Athens, the northern city of Thessaloniki and the western city of Patras amid heightened tensions following the killing early Wednesday.
Around 5,000 people took to the streets in the district of western Athens where 34-year-old Pavlos Fyssas was stabbed to death outside a cafe, shouting “break down the fascists” and wielding banners that read “fascism, never again”.
