Greek government condemn fatal attack on activist by far-right party member

Greek government and political parties strongly condemned on Wednesday the fatal stabbing of a Left-wing activist in a Piraeus port suburb, as the detained suspect admitted to the attack and his affiliation with far-right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avgi) party, police said. The death of Pavlos Fyssas, a 34-year old musician, outside a cafeteria on early Wednesday, in an alarming escalation of political violence, has shocked Greek society. "Violence will not win. The strategy of tension will not prevail," Greek government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said. All political parties participating in the parliament issued similar statements, condemning the "criminal activities of the neo-Nazis" and calling for the exemplary harsh punishment of perpetrators. The 45-year old person, who was apprehended shortly after the incident, confessed that he attacked Fyssas during a confrontation over football and politics among about two dozen left-wing activists and far-right party members, according to a police briefing. Police has found the knife likely used in the attack, as well as Golden Dawn print material at his house. The suspect is also said to have admitted that he belongs ideologically to Golden Dawn. Meanwhile, the party strongly denies any connection to the attack and threatens with defamation lawsuits, as police raids Golden Dawn offices during the ongoing investigation on the case and Leftists call for anti-fascist protests. Recently clashes between extreme-Right groups and Leftist party members have increased. Last week, Golden Dawn members were blamed for a similar attack against Communist Party members in another Piraeus port suburb. Golden Dawn members, including party deputies, have been in numerous cases linked to violent attacks against immigrants and left-wing members. The party entered the Greek parliament for the first time in the 2012 general elections, gaining 7 percent of the vote and 18 seats in the 300-member chamber, capitalizing on Greeks' anger at the pain caused by austerity policies introduced since 2010 to counter the debt crisis. Amidst rising political tension, a discussion has opened whether the Greek state should seek to ban the party.