26 people charged with storming into the Church of St. Gregory Palamas in Thessaloniki and interrupting Sunday services appeared before the single Misdemeanour Court, Monday morning. Earlier the prosecutor had laid charges of abusive behaviour during religious worship and contempt. The 26 were members of anti-authoritarian groups protesting against the evacuation of refugees and migrants from abandoned buildings in Thessaloniki and included 19 women and 7 men, 17 of whom are Greek nationals and the rest from Germany, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Morocco and Britain. Members of  anti-authoritarian groups organised protests in solidarity of the arrested outside the court. Meanwhile, opposition party New Democracy (ND) criticised ruling SYRIZA for failing to condemn the interruption of the Church services. ‘Their (government’s) unacceptable silence is the resounding confirmation of the ideological-partisan tolerance for the raid of anti-authoritarian members during the Holy Liturgy at the Metropolis of Thessaloniki on Sunday’, the announcement underlined. New Democracy had condemned the recent attacks against SYRIZA offices by members the wider anarchist movement.