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.
Golden Dawn is widely regarded as neo-Nazi, a label he denies. He also denies any party involvement in the attack claiming it is the target of a witch-hunt after government efforts to crack down on the party and its alleged influence over the Greek police force.
The latest polls show that the fiery party leader now faces a backlash, with up to a third of support lost.
The killing of 34-year-old Pavlos Fissas provoked outrage across the country and anti-fascist rallies coincided with a 48-hour public sector strike on Wednesday.
Golden Dawn is Greece’s third most popular party, fuelled by widespread discontent over state corruption and the economic crisis, sparking hostility to immigrants.