Local candidate draws wrath for kicking stray dog in Lesvos

A candidate in this month's local elections on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos faces possible criminal charges after an animal protection society published a video furnished by the management of a cafe in the main town of Mytilini showing him kicking a dog.

The video published by Kivotos on its Facebook page on Thursday shows the candidate, whose name has not been made public, walking past the Greg cafe and kicking a small dog that is barking at another passerby who had continued on his way without paying attention to the stray.

The owners of the cafeteria that captured the incident on their security camera were quoted as telling the organization that the dog, called Jerry, is well known in the area and is looked after by local businesses who feed and provide him with medical care.

Five witnesses to the incident were due to testify to police on Friday after Kivotos filed a lawsuit against the man seen kicking the dog with such force that it slams into the cafe window.