Golden Dawn members cleared over attack
A misdemeanors court in the northern town of Veria on Thursday cleared seven out of eight members and supporters of the extreme-right Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn) of charges of assault following an attack on a local cafe known as a hangout for extreme leftists.
The court annulled the proceedings, noting that the prosecution had failed to pay an administrative fee, sources said.
One of the eight defendants received a four-month suspended jail sentence.
The 53-year-old owner of the cafe, who had brought the charges against the members and supporters of Golden Dawn after the assault, also received a four-month suspended jail sentence.
A strong police unit had been stationed outside the courthouse to avert tensions between supporters of the defendants and protesters.
The attack on the cafe on June 9, the week before a rerun of inconclusive general elections in May, had followed a scuffle between the defendants and a group of people handing out election leaflets. One person was injured during the attack and the cafe sustained considerable damage.
