Court of law - Violence at Eritrea festival: 24-year-old released
In the first trial regarding the violent protests at the edge of the Eritrea Festival in Gießen, the 24-year-old defendant has been released on bail. On Thursday at the Amtsgericht Gießen, Presiding Judge Dietrich Becker lifted the arrest warrant against the man with a bail of 5000 Euro.
The court did not expect new findings, stated the judge. Previously, two police officers, who were supposed to be interrogated as witnesses, had not shown up for the trial - one officer had called in sick at the last minute, and another was absent without excuse. "That's all highly inconvenient," said the Presiding Judge.
The Public Prosecutor's Office Gießen accuses the 24-year-old man of participating in the riots at the Eritrea Festival in Gießen nearly a year ago. He was charged with breaching the peace, assaulting enforcement officers, and causing dangerous bodily harm.
As part of a group of approximately 100 people, who were supposedly armed with stones, bottles, and sticks, the man allegedly took part in violent attacks on police officers. Several officers were reportedly injured in the attacks and sustained hematomas and contusions. This is the first trial in connection with the riots nearly a year ago. The trial is scheduled to continue on July 8.
- Despite the absence of two key witnesses due to sickness and unexplained absence, the local court decided not to delay the demonstrations-related trial of Hesse's 24-year-old defendant further, releasing him on bail of 5000 Euro.
- The Public Prosecutor's Office in Gießen argues that the excesses during the Eritrea Festival last year, which included riots and attacks on enforcement officers with weapons like stones, bottles, and sticks, involve the 24-year-old man, who is now facing charges in a trial process.
- The upcoming sessions of the local court on July 8 will continue the trial of the man accused of crime involvement during the Eritrea Festival demonstrations, which occurred nearly a year ago and impacted the Gießen festival atmosphere significantly.
