Greek Golden Dawn party members arrested

THESSALONIKI, Greece, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Five members of the Greek ultranationalist Golden Dawn party have been arrested for weapons possession after a search, police said.

Officers raided the group's office Friday night in the port city of Thessaloniki and found three collapsible batons, two pocket knives, four canisters of pepper stray and one smoke bomb, Ekathimerini said.

Greek authorities are taking action against Golden Dawn days after a member of the group claimed responsibility for killing a left-wing rapper, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The government has declared the organization a threat to public order and is asking prosecutors to designate it as a criminal enterprise, the report said.

days after police say a self-professed member confessed to killing Pavlos Fyssas, a left-wing rap artist.

Golden Dawn denies accusations it is a neo-Nazi group. Ilias Kasidiaris, a Golden Dawn politician, said the group would sue government officials for defamation.