The owner of a souvenir shop in Greece assaulted this young Romani girl on 17 September 2013. (PHOTO: Dimitri Messinis)

News server Keep Talking Greece reports that a woman who assaulted a young Romani girl on the streets of Athens four years ago has finally been convicted and sentenced to three months behind bars. The incident happened on 17 September 2013 when the woman saw the seven-year-old sit down on the sidewalk of Dionisiou Aeropagitoy Street, which leads to the Acropolis, and begin playing the accordion.

The woman approached the girl and began pushing at her with her foot. The expression on the girl's face in the photographs of the incident says it all.

She is afraid, and tourists passing by were shocked by the behavior of the woman, who owns a souvenir shop nearby. The woman also yelled at tourists and told them not to give the girl any money.

All of this was captured on the spot by professional photographer Dimitri Messinis. He stood up for the girl and began arguing with her attacker.

After a procedure lasting four years, the perpetrator of this crime has now been sentenced to three months in prison. Racist assaults have been happening more and more frequently in Athens recently.

Some observers point out that most of the attacks are perpetrated by the owners of shops who assault beggars in the vicinity of their businesses. The owners allege that beggars deter potential customers.