Athens , Greece ( CNN ) -- Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras pleaded for calm Thursday after rising anger at Greece 's right-wing Golden Dawn party exploded into violence in a working-class Athens suburb . `` This is not a time for internal fighting , nor for tension , '' Samaras said in the televised speech . `` Any political differences should be resolved through democratic dialogue , not fiery arguments , nor violence , no matter where it stems from . '' On Wednesday , crowds protesting the earlier stabbing death of a popular anti-fascist figure in Keratsini -- allegedly at the hands a Golden Dawn supporter -- hurled rocks at police and burned trash bins outside their station . The clashes came despite police raids of Golden Dawn offices and the arrest of a 45-year-old party supporter who police say admitted killing Pavlos Fyssas , a well-known hip-hop artist with the stage name Killah P. Fyssas ' death inflamed already growing concerns about the rising influence of Golden Dawn , an ultranationalist , anti-immigration party that has been linked to street violence and neo-Nazism . In 2012 , the party rode a wave of dissatisfaction among some Greeks over internationally imposed austerity measures amid the country 's deep financial crisis , winning 7 % of the vote and gaining seats in parliament for the first time . Golden Dawn MP Ilias Kassidiaris denied his party 's involvement in Fyssas ' death , calling it a `` heinous crime . '' He accused politicians of `` exploiting a tragic event to win votes and divide Greek society . '' The singer 's death has nevertheless led to renewed calls to ban Golden Dawn . Greek Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias described the killing as an `` abominable murder ... by an attacker who , according to his own statement , sympathizes with Golden Dawn , thus illustrating in the most obvious way the intentions of neo-Nazism . '' Dendias said the government is looking to amend the country 's criminal code to make it easier to prosecute political attacks and better define what constitutes an `` armed gang . '' Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos , whose socialist Pasok party is part of the governing coalition , said Golden Dawn `` must be dealt with as a criminal organization . '' And an Austrian member of the European Parliament , Hannes Swoboda , also urged lawmakers to ban the party . `` Golden Dawn 's openly xenophobic , neo-Nazi hatred goes as far as murdering political opponents . This is shocking and intolerable by any standards , and more so in a European Union country , '' he said . In his speech Thursday , Samaras called Fyssas ' death an `` inhuman assassination '' and said the government is `` determined to not allow the descendants of the Nazis to poison our social life , to commit crimes , terrorize and undermine the foundations of the country that gave birth to democracy . ''
Prime minister calls for calm after clashes in an Athens suburb . Leftist protesters clash with police after the death of a popular anti - fascist activist . A nationalist Golden Dawn party supporter is accused of killing leftist activist George Costa . Opposition leaders renew calls to ban the party , which has grown in influence .