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Greece's extreme right-wing Golden Dawn party asks for a change of trial venue over security

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Police scuffle with suspected members of a leftist urban guerrilla group as they try to enter the court of Golden Dawn party in Athens, Friday, May 15, 2015. Lawyers representing the extreme right-wing Golden Dawn party are demanding a change of venue in the trial of party leaders and members for security reasons, following a verbal attack by suspected members of a leftist urban guerrilla group being led to a nearby courtroom for a separate trial. (Nikos Chalkiopoulos/InTime News via AP) GREECE OUT (The Associated Press)

People wait during a break after suspected members of a leftist urban guerrilla group try to enter the court of Golden Dawn party in Athens, Friday, May 15, 2015. Lawyers representing the extreme right-wing Golden Dawn party are demanding a change of venue in the trial of party leaders and members for security reasons, following a verbal attack by suspected members of a leftist urban guerrilla group being led to a nearby courtroom for a separate trial. (Nikos Chalkiopoulos/InTime News via AP) GREECE OUT (The Associated Press)

Magda Fyssa, center, mother of Pavlos Fyssas who was stabbed to death, allegedly by a Golden Dawn party volunteer, shouts at members of the extreme right party at the court in Athens, Friday, May 15, 2015. Lawyers representing the extreme right-wing Golden Dawn party are demanding a change of venue in the trial of party leaders and members for security reasons, following a verbal attack by suspected members of a leftist urban guerrilla group being led to a nearby courtroom for a separate trial. (Nikos Chalkiopoulos/InTime News via AP) (The Associated Press)

Lawyers representing Greece's extreme right-wing Golden Dawn party are demanding a change of venue for security reasons in the trial of party leaders and members, after their clients were threatened by suspected members of a leftist group being led to another courtroom for a separate trial.

Golden Dawn leader Nikos Michaloliakos and party lawmakers are among 69 defendants accused of running a criminal organization in the closely watched case held in a special courtroom in the country's largest prison, Korydallos.

A separate case against suspected members of the left-wing Nucleii of Fire group, which is accused of several bombings, is also being heard there.

Nucleii suspects heading to their own courtroom Friday managed to open the Golden Dawn courtroom door and threaten the defendants, throwing a bottle before police intervened.