Greek police arrest head of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party and several of its MPs

The Greek police undertook an extensive raid today against the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, which is currently seated in parliament. Police have arrested party head Nikolaos Michaloliakos and sever members of the party, including MPs.

Agence France-Presse reports that the Greek criminal justice authorities said the arrests were primarily for membership in a criminal organization, but that some of those arrested were also suspected of committing physical violence and murder. The Greek Government assured the press that the raid would not prompt political instability in the country.   

Michaloliakos, three MPs, and 12 members of the neo-Nazi party, which was founded in 1980, were the first to end up behind bars this morning. Police received a total of 30 arrest warrants from the Supreme Court as part of their investigation of Golden Dawn, whose members and promoters are considered responsible for many of the roughly 300 assaults on foreigners that have taken place throughout Greece since October 2011. 

Greek Finance Minister Jannis Sturnaras told the press that the raid would not spark political instability in Greece. The Justice Minister has promised all those arrested a fair trial. 

The Government would not say anything more about the police raid. "Democracy must be defended. The justice authorities have done their job," a cabinet spokesperson said.

This is the first case of a member of Parliament or a party head being arrested while in office in Greece since 1974. The Government, which is preparing to take over the six-month presidency of the European Union as of 1 January, has been reproached by many people at home and abroad for being too benevolent toward Golden Dawn.  

The party, which is anti-Jewish, anti-immigrant, and racist, has benefited from the poverty and unemployment that have affected the Greek population as a result of the economic crisis. Golden Dawn won 7 % of the vote in last year’s elections and entered parliament for the first time in its history with 18 seats in the 300-seat body. 

"These arrests are intended to halt Greece’s deteriorating image abroad. It’s a message that has both domestic and foreign policy uses," noted Greek analyst Ilias Nikolakopulos.

Greek justice authorities recently began to collect evidence against Golden Dawn with the aim of eventually labeling it a criminal organization. The impetus for the investigation was the murder of Pavlos Fisas, a left-wing activist and popular singer who was murdered on 18 September, apparently by a neo-Nazi extremist. 

According to the most recent public opinion polls, Golden Dawn has lost some of its voters since the murder. Two highly-placed representatives of the Greek police also resigned in connection with the activist’s death after it was reported that some police officers were aligned with the neo-Nazis. 

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