Violent clashes have broken out in several Greek cities after a left-wing musician was stabbed to death, with the suspect is a member of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn. Pavlos Fyssas, 34, was killed early on Wednesday. Police arrested the suspect and searched Golden Dawn’s offices. The party denied any involvement.

Mr Fyssas, an anti-fascist hip-hop artist, was stabbed outside a cafe shortly after midnight local time in the western Athens district of Keratsini.

Reports say that after a dispute over football, there was an altercation between different groups of people. The victim was attacked by a group of 15 men.

A 45-year-old man, who police say has admitted supporting Golden Dawn, has confessed to the crime. Police said the suspect, who was arrested near the area where the crime was committed, admitted during questioning to stabbing the victim twice before discarding the weapon near his car. The suspect also confirmed that he is a member of the neonazi Golden Dawn party, which has 18 MPs in the 300-seat Greek parliament. Police went on to arrest the suspect’s wife and another woman for misleading the investigation. The head of Golden Dawn’s branch in the area has also been arrested for firearm offences. “My doctor has told me that this was a professional hit,” the victim’s father, a former member of the Piraeus metalworkers union said to the media. Before being pronounced dead, the victim had identified his attacker to police.

Anti-fascist demonstrators gathered on Tuesday night and are planning another rally later on Wednesday. Greece’s Public Order Minister, Nikos Dendias, has cancelled a trip to Rome. He said the situation was critical.

The minister expressed his deep regret over the incident, and said the government would soon put forward a new law against political violence and armed groups.

Greece’s Socialist Party, which is the second party in the governing coalition, has said that Golden Dawn should be considered a criminal group.

The killing occurred ahead of further strikes against government plans to cut thousands of public sector jobs.

Source: BBC / Kathimerini