Michaloliakos (right), his deputy Yannis Lagos (second-right), spokesman of the party Ilias Kasidiaris (bottom) and Eleni Zaroulia (left), deputy of the party and wife of Michaloliakos, shout at MPs before the vote to strip them of immunity from prosecution.

AFP/Reuters/Athens

Angry scenes unfolded in Greece’s parliament yesterday after lawmakers voted to lift immunity for the jailed leader of extreme right party Golden Dawn and two of his deputies.

“Shame on you, pseudo-politicians ... you have ordered and organised a conspiracy,” declared Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos after the vote.

All but one of the 224 deputies present backed proposals to lift the parliamentary immunity of the Golden Dawn founder, his right-hand man Christos Pappas, and Yannis Lagos, according to a parliamentary source.

Greek prosecutors asked for the measure after criminal proceedings were launched against the three men for “carrying an illegal weapon”.

Nikolaos Michaloliakos, who has been in provisional detention since September for belonging “to a criminal organisation”, was transferred to parliament yesterday from a prison near Athens along with 16 other deputies.

Michaloliakos denounced the moves as a “political and judicial conspiracy” against his party.

“You have stripped me of my civil rights in an illegal and abusive manner,” he said.

“I have a lot to say and I will say it,” Mihaloliakos shouted after being escorted by police from Athens’ high-security prison to attend the session. “You can turn off the microphone the way you sent me to jail!”

“Leave! You are dangerous for the country. You are a pitiful minority government that must fall,” he yelled at ministers before being taken back to prison.

The imprisoned men cited as evidence a recording made public in April by Golden Dawn in which a close aide of conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is apparently heard saying that the prosecutor was “persuaded” to take the case under government pressure.

“You are miserable ... we live in a dictatorship under the guise of a so-called parliamentary democracy,” said Pappas.

During the heated exchange, some 400 members of Golden Dawn gathered outside the parliamentary building in support of their leader and his deputies.

“No to prison for the nationalists,” the activists chanted.

Security measures were stepped up in the centre of Athens, and one of the main roads leading to parliament was closed to traffic.

“We are fighting for a better Greece. The provisional detention of the party’s leader and deputies is unfair, illegal and anti-constitutional,” said a 40-year-old Golden Dawn supporter, who has been unemployed for several months and gave his name only as Dimitris.

Formerly on the fringe of Greek politics, the openly xenophobic and anti-Semitic Golden Dawn won entry to Greece’s 300-seat parliament for the first time in elections in June 2012, tapping into widespread anger over immigration and austerity reforms in the debt-ridden country.

Golden Dawn also ran third in European elections last month.

A crackdown against the party was launched last year following the killing of a Greek anti-fascist musician by a party member outside Athens.

Several of Golden Dawn’s 18 lawmakers are now under investigation over crimes allegedly committed as the party rose to prominence.

Two Golden Dawn members were recently sentenced to life in jail for the murder of a Pakistani man in Athens in January.

Greek lawmakers are protected from prosecution and in most cases only parliament can lift their immunity if they are suspected of criminal activity. Lawmakers do not lose their seats unless there is a court ruling against them.

The killing of Pavlos Fissas – who bled to death after being stabbed twice in what prosecutors said was a pre-meditated attack – prompted demonstrations across Greece, a shake-up of the police force and a broad investigation of the party.

Investigating magistrates have said they plan to charge all 18 Golden Dawn lawmakers and other senior supporters with membership of a criminal organisation. If convicted, the lawmakers face at least 10 years in jail.

“Whether they like it or not, justice is independent in this country,” Justice Minister Charalambos Athanassiou said in response to the accusations by Golden Dawn. “I mean it and I will reiterate that they will have a fair trial.”