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ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A lawmaker from a Nazi-inspired Greek party was acquitted Friday of a charge stemming from an attack on two female left-wing colleagues during a live TV talk show.
An Athens court found that Ilias Kassidiaris did not cause the women grievous bodily harm, as he had been charged.
TV footage of the 2012 incident showed Kassidiaris repeatedly slapping one woman and throwing a glass of water at another before running away. The attack followed an exchange of verbal abuse.
The defendant is one of several Golden Dawn lawmakers held in pre-trial custody on separate charges for allegedly running a criminal organization.
Judges ruled Friday that the attack was not as severe as described in the charges. Kassidiaris was not convicted of plain assault, because that would have required a formal complaint from his victims, that was never made.
About 100 supporters of Golden Dawn — now Greece's third largest party — gathered outside the courthouse in a show of support.
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