The long-awaited trial is to resume on Monday 8 June at a specially-designed high-security courtroom at the Korydallos Prison, despite local authorities and residents’ objections.
Residents have lobbied an order to move the trial from the precinct of Korydallos to the Athens Appeals Court, as the prison facility is located next to schools and residential areas.
Outside the landmark trial sessions, hundreds of Golden Dawn supporters are engaging in riots with individuals shouting slogans against Nazism.
Meanwhile, defence lawyers representing the Golden Dawn MPs asked that alleged victims of GD should not be allowed to appear in court as civil claimants.
In what appeared to be a symbolic move, judges allowed the mother and sister of Pavlos Fyssas, a leftist rapper murdered in 2013 by a self-professed Golden Dawn supporter, to address the court as civil claimants.
The decision resulted into a massive brawl between the families of the victims and members of the extreme far-right Greek political party, causing damages to several properties and cars.
Local authorities asked for the trial to be moved to another venue but the government said that a new space cannot be designated until September.
The presiding judge, Maria Lepeniotou, has also confirmed that the trial would continue at Korydallos Prison until further notice, adding that she had asked the leadership of the Greek Police to increase security.
Source: Kathimerini
