The accused walk out of «Cores of Fire» trial

9 out of the 13 prosecuted in the «Conspiracy of the Cores of Fire» trial left the court room due to the court’s decision to keep the ID’s of attendees and return them when the trial was over.

As they were leaving, tension was building up when those present yelled out mottos like «SS cops and judges» and «the passion for freedom is stronger than any cell».

The defense attorneys are considering now, after the new break, if the accused will return to the trial or appeal against the decision of the court which withholds the IDs of those entering the courtroom. The tension had started at “hello” when the defense attorneys objected to the procedure and threatened to leave, asking: 1. the court not to keep lists of the attendees 2. for the accused not to wear handcuffs during breaks and 3. that the proceedings are recorded.

The presiding judge agreed to the taping and said that she will look into it. Then it was the turn of the accused, who asked that «the plain-clothed cops leave the room, they are taking up half of the seats» and said that «if our colleagues are checked upon entering we will leave».

The tension between the bench and attendees asking not to keep copies of their IDs resulted in a recess.

At the beginning and after the court's announcement of the six accused and the three freed under conditions, one of them, Panagiotis Masouras, asked to speak. He said that they wish to maintain the public aspect of the trial and that the personal data of their “colleagues” should not be kept upon entering.

Masouras: “We want to preserve the public aspect of the trial. We want our colleagues with us. The room is full of cops and journalists. We ask you not to keep the data of those that come to support us. We will not contribute to the profiling. If our request is not met we will leave”.

The judge answered: “Alright, let’s hear from your attorneys”.

Then one of the accused, Charilaos C. Hatzimihelakis, rose up and addressing the judge, yelled at her: “Since you ignored our request… let’s leave” (talking to the rest of the accused).

Judge: “Wait a minute, sir, for your attorneys to speak.”

The attorneys Spyros Fytrakis, Nikos Konstantopoulos and Anna Paparousou asked the court to set the rules for a fair trial. They also brought up the issue of recording personal data at the entrance and asked that the accused not wear handcuffs while they remain in the courtroom during recesses.

The judge asked some women in the back to stop motioning and sit down. They reacted and then she said that if they keep this up they will be detained. Then Chatzimichelakis stood up and yelled: “If they leave, so will we”.

Judge: “Please sir, the ladies will be detained if they keep motioning”.

Chatzimichelakis: “Really? Shame on you, be a judge in an empty room now”. The court adjourned to calm the tension.

In the morning, Gerasimos Arsenis, the husband of Labor minister Louka Katseli, whose office was recently attacked, was in the court.