E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Petros Karadjias / AP
Greece's extreme-right Golden Dawn party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, in white, talks to media outside the prosecutor's office in Athens, June, 11, 2012.
A Greek far-right politician who hit a left-wing politician in the face and threw water at another during a live television talk show sued his victims for defamation on Monday.
Ilias Kasidiaris, spokesman of the far-right Golden Dawn party, said he would also sue private TV station Antenna for wrongful detention after he was locked in a room in the studio following the attack until he broke down the door and escaped.
Kasidiaris shocked viewers last week with the attack on Rena Dourou, a deputy in the radical leftist Syriza party and Liana Kanelli, a veteran communist deputy, during a heated debate ahead of national elections on June 17.
On the show, a spirited discussion spiraled out of control when Kasidiaris threw a glass of water at Dourou. Shortly afterwards, Kanelli swatted Kasidiaris with a newspaper, and he responded by punching her in the face with enough force to leave her bruised.
The 31-year-old former army commando went into hiding after the assault but issued a statement at the weekend blaming the two middle-aged women for deliberately provoking him into the attack.
"I have come to the prosecutor today to file a lawsuit against Mrs. Kanelli and Mrs. Dourou for unprovoked defamation, and against TV station Antenna for my illegal detention," Kasidiaris, dressed in a white shirt and dark sunglasses, told reporters outside the court.
By lying low, Kasidiaris avoided an arrest warrant for the attack. According to Greek law, the arrest warrant for a minor crime must be carried out by midnight on the day following the incident, BBC reported.
A politician in Greece is wanted by police for his behavior on a live TV program where he threw a glass of water on a political rival then punched another. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.
Golden Dawn denies being a neo-Nazi party but its image has been sullied by continuously replayed footage of the talk show incident as well as a variety of other pictures showing party members splashed with fake blood, making Nazi-style salutes or grinning next to an oven at the Nazi death camp Auschwitz.
Greek politician who attacked rivals blames them
Parties across the political spectrum condemned Kasidiaris and said his actions shed light on Golden Dawn.
"This attack is an attack against every democratic citizen,” caretaker government spokesman Dimitris Tsiodras said, according to Athens News.
The leftist Syriza party, tipped as likely to get the most votes in the coming election, said the attack showed "the real face of this criminal organization," referring to Golden Dawn.
"This young 'gentleman,' the Golden Dawn spokesman, proved today that he is a representative of a group of neo-Nazis that apart from being ultra-right are also cowards and bullies," said Fofi Gennimata, of the center-left Pasok party, according to Athens News. "We call on the people who voted for Golden Dawn to seriously rethink it."
TV show attack shows 'real face' of far-right in Greece?
Speaking at the opening of the party's offices in an Athens suburb on Sunday, Kasidiaris said he had been set up and was acting in self-defence after Kanelli threw a newspaper at him.
"I never expected that I would be hit in the face on live TV," he said. "I did what millions of Greeks would have done - when you get hit in the face you have to defend yourself."
Kasidiaris was already due to stand trial on Monday on separate charges — which he denies — of helping assailants attack an assistant university professor in 2007, but that trial was postponed until September.
Golden Dawn, which uses an ancient Greek symbol resembling the swastika as its logo, won 7 percent in the inconclusive May 6 election, promising to rid Greece of illegal immigrants and seal its borders with landmines.
Reuters contributed to this report.
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- NBC News: Egypt's ex-dictator Hosni Mubarak slips into coma
- Reports: UK PM David Cameron leaves 8-year-old daughter in pub
- Second solo Pacific rower rescued after 50-ft waves batter boat
- UN: Smell of death at scene of massacre in Syrian village
- Women brave attack to protest Egypt harassment
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Leave a Comment:
Typical abuser--blame the victim.
WTF? You don't get to attack someone on TV and then claim you're the victim. You defamed yourself, buddy, with your violent outburst. Suck it up and shut up.
I'm pretty sure you just stated the same position as WHAT?-4099780 did...
lol, do any of you know even what was said that whole time that led to the waaaa.... slapping?
2nd, (this goes out to the little brave poogles out there)... if your going to pick a fight, dont cry to mommy and daddy (the police, and the judge) when you dont deliver your a$$ kicking, but it decends upon you.
short term version.... (lamens, or idiots who dont get what i said), dont pick a fight, and then cry when you lose. i see how there are a lot of people who "talk the talk", but cry when they "under perform" in action, then cry to who ever will listen...lol.
personally, she hit him 1st, slapped him with a newspaper, that is assault. if any person lays an unwanted hand on another person..... assault. if the guy across the table who had the water tossed in his face got up, he would have been justified in giving the guy tossing the water a good blast. but that guy never got up did he? no, the woman next to him did as she smacked him with a paper. bad dog? my response might not have ben the same as his, but i would have seen her arrested.
i also only saw him slap her face 1 time, the other 2 times, he slapped her hands away. possibly clipped her 2 times, but i saw open hands all the way. booooo hoooooo!
again.... just cause you think you are bad, doesnt mean you are. if you think you are privilaged to toss a punch, or hit someone on the premise, you are a female, and its ok for you to "hit people", remember.... its ok to hit you back now in return.
NaughtyMosey - The "guy" hit with the water was a woman. Have you even watched the video???
Typical Greek, just like they fu..ed up their economy and blame others.
The "man" is clearly sick and a coward; he should be banned from ever holding any office! Who throws water at a political opponent (it is slightly better than a shoe) and belts an old lady, not once but several times.... then slinks off to hide so he can't be arrested? Oh, wait he already gave us the answer......
Mossy,
Obviously you have not watched this video closely enough. The man delivered a hard slap to a middle aged woman who merely slapped him gently in the chest with a newspaper after he threw a glass of water in the face of the woman across from him. After that, he delivered a HARD LEFT HOOK TO HER FACE. Who do you think is really the crybaby in this situation? Perhaps it is the cowardly weightlifting enthusiast and former military commando who feels assaulting women is acceptable behavior for a statesman. By the way, this little sissy went into hiding to avoid arrest before emerging to sue the victims of his assault for defamation of character?!? Boo hoo, you say? Boo hoo indeed.
P.S. You are an idiot.
NaughtyMossy apparently hasn't seen the video lol, he is most likely a nazi. This coward from the video first threw water in the face of a woman and the second woman didn't hit him in the face the rolled up news paper hit his fore arm. He then hit her in the face several times with his fists at full strength. So NaughtyMossy you dumb FU(k first get the story right then start your nazi idiotic rants you moron.
Golden Dawn..............the Greek name for American Republicans. Same thinking, same tactics. Cowards and liars all.
Terrorism and violence is committed by both the extreme right and left not just one side.
She did attack him first. Now it is up to a court to decide if the punching was justified or over the top. Let's just hope he doesn't get judge Judy. He would have lost with her just for being on the same planet even if he just stood there.
Wait, who attacked him first? The lady in white, who swatted him with a newspaper after he threw a glass of water across the desk at the lady on the right?
And his response was 4-5 wild swings at an OLD WOMAN?
Are you kidding, or a member of the Golden Dawn?!
Now you're a man! A mani mani man. A man man man...Now your aaaa mannn...NOW your a man!
The lady he hit (I saw the video - it wasn't a gentle slap) ought to get three free kicks to his groin. Then she should be entitled to sue him for allowing his testicle to come into contact with her foot.
So sick of the GOP? And other stupid stuff said on here. I don't care what the words Golden Dawn stand for, American Republicans aren't like this fool. Some people certainly are, but it's not due to their political affiliation. I am quite tired of stupid people that say that behaviors stem from political affiliations. Behaviors come in all colors, shapes, sizes, religions, and political affiliations. This person certainly made a fool of himself and continues to make himself look even more foolish by now suing for 'defamation'. He is proving himself to be a completely incompetent idiot.
Come on guys...she had it coming...he was just defending himself...
No, Chelle, behavior doesn't stem from political affiliation but political affiliation does often stem from behavior patterns. This guy is not a Nazi because he is a member of Golden Dawn, he is a member of Golden Dawn because he is a Nazi. Even if you believe the lady struck him with the newspaper, his response was completely out of proportion. It would be like shooting someone for walking on your lawn.
anyone defending this guy is either trolling or an idiot. he got slapped in the chest with a greek pennysaver for god's sake- that warrants 3 (open-handed) roundhouses?
@SoSick--Golden Dawn..............the Greek name for American Republicans. Same thinking, same tactics. Cowards and liars all.
Using that logic to identify "bad", then by your reasoning, the opposite would be what you consider good. Would that be Soviet Communists? Because-- after all, that worked out so well...
Unless you live in Florida where lots of loony stuff happens. Like shooting someone for walking across a lawn. A completely out of proportion response and a claim of self defense. The right wing is the right wing, makes no matter if it is Greece or America. The tiny brain people are out of control. They are now sure that they can do what ever they please to whom ever they please.
@AreYouBuyingThis?
You're kidding right? I mean your Avatar is Captin America and you condone beating a woman?
If so you're not much of a man, much more like a creep.
NaughtyMossy, don't call the people in the discussion names. It leads to stuff like this from OneSaneMan and bFromNJ:
You're each suspended for a day for violating #1 of the Code of Honor. OneSaneMan and bFromNJ, read the second part and report using the '!' button next time:
Alister Crowley is going to rise from his grave with these people using Golden Dawn as a name. Golden Dawn is a magical order founded around the turn of the century.
Who says that America has no influence on other countries?
I at times wonder how people arrive at the outrageous thinking to their postings. A lot of the postings bring disgrace to their parties, whether it is Democratic or Republican. People’s behavior of either party does not necessarily reflect on the party as a whole. Each person is responsible for their own behavior. The name calling is immature and uncalled for. Opinions are just those. Everyone is entitled to them. One does not have to agree, but be an adult and debate in fairness. Once the name calling and outrageousness starts, your cause is LOST.
"The assault but issued a statement at the weekend blaming the two middle-aged women for deliberately provoking him into the attack".
Really? He needs to take responsibility for his own behavior. Perhaps some anger management classes might be ordered by the Judge. AND he went into hiding to avoid arrest. Interesting. The innocent doesn't usually go into hiding.
I don't see why this surprises anybody - he's a politician...male...Greek...AND conservative.
I didn't read the entire article, it disgusts me... I hope they arrest him, and throw him in jail for assault. He shouldn't be allowed around the public!
Wait, who attacked him first? Fred Evil if you walk into a bar with a friend and you get mad at a guy at another table and throw a beer on him he could retaliate and smack the crap out of you by law. If he just sits there and a drunk guy at another table didn't like you throwing the beer at the other guy steps up and hits you with a bottle or anything else like a news paper. You could beat the crap out of him. He can't attack for the other guy.
Then let's rationally discuss what 'attacking' means. Is getting a mild swat in the chest from a woman of maturity being 'attacked'? Not in my book. Neither really is throwing a drink at someone (and missing pretty badly).
Who escalated the situation, who got violent first? Princess Golden Dawn did. And then she ran away. She got her panties in a wad, and everyone else had to deal with her tantrum. And now, the idiot is SUING?!
It's a battery no mater if it's a paper or a fist. Battery, unlike assault, requires the actual use of force. It occurs when a person intentionally touches you without your consent. A person acts intentionally if their action was on purpose, regardless of whether they actually intended to harm you with their action
So, if someone assaults someone else in your proximity, you have no ability to see about ending that assault or aiding the person being assaulted? Throwing water across the table was the first act of 'assault,' are you saying bystanders can't intervene?!
That's what they say unless it's a family member
No kidding. This guy is a real piece of 'work'...(can't use profane language on here, so work...means...)
I wish he'd slap my stray cat feeding neighbor for me and his FAT WITCH wife.
He looked good there can we sign him up with the Olympics.
He'd be the Greek Orthodox Religous entry with God on his side.
What a nice little circus of retards they have in Greek politics these days.. it's really a shame that the rest of the world is paying for it with induced economic instability.
Let God's will be done.
@ElektroFreak, yea I know, the Greek politicians are horrible. They're all having affairs with Argentinians, having affairs with their interns while their wives are battling cancer, selling off Senate seats, and refusing to cross party lines to accomplish anything in government. Oh wait..
Wow.. Seems to me that the article is about GREEK politics... right Robert? I love it when idiots think they've made a point.. always good for a chuckle.
Elektrofreak: They might say the same about us since our Wall St caused this recession (their recession too) after which we had a nut-job conservative party preventing the peoples' election choice from doing his job....do you know that there are Federal Judge positions Obama nominated that are still being filibustered by Repukes since they were vacated in 2009/10/11? The only difference here is Republicans are calm, cold and patient when it comes to destroying our country....just a little less outward passion is all. They don't need violence (yet) they have a plan.
Wow. And didn't he stab a person in 2007? Violence and the far-right go together so often it seems.
Wow and I thought he acted like a Oakland/Chicago/Seattle OWS........who knew the far right and the far left have that much in common extremes are radical.
Violence and far- anything go together. Some people still the remember the terror decade of the 70s and early 80s that were brought about by the far- left.
Fascism at work.
Bet they wanted to have sex after that ya baby do it harder.
This guy is nothing but a common thug. He has some nerve claiming to be the victim.
If this was hockey it would be part of the show. She was fat enough to make someone believe she might be 8 months pregnant maybe he should have tased her.(some of you will get the last part)
God spoke to me and said this guy was justified.
And the rest of us are disgusted by ALL of your comment Charger.
Grow up, come back, and try again.
Typical right wing thug. A bully and coward at heart no doubt suffering from the effects of a too small penis.
It's probably store bought at that. This guy is a big P*SSY!
Dude makes my heart feel good again.
Aw, come on Ragge...............you don't HAVE a heart.
Just a clock tictoctictoc
rag-
you just wish it was you getting slapped around like that. any "man" who has no problem with hitting women is a p*ssy!
If an American politician tried that, the punches and glass of water would probably have MISSED, but he would still be charged with intent.
FatSean: so does the ludicrous notion of sueing someone for libel whom you assaulted when the 'libel' occurred. Some of these wing nuts believe they can do no wrong: they will argue with you - even maim you - in their frenzy of proving you wrong (even though their facts are half-truths or outright fabrications- they will NOT even consider anything that falls outside of what they want to believe). They have the ONLY right way and there IS no other way; 'compromise' is a negative word to them that means 'failure'. Greece isn't the only place this rabid nonsense is being expressed: one only has to look in their own backyard to find it.
Deb P. that is becoming a normal tactic of the far right. Stir up a fight and when it doesn't come off well or a groundswell of disapproval occurs, make like a victim and keep pointing the finger outward. Sickening - talk about NO RESPONSIBILITY.
"that is becoming a normal tactic of the far right. Stir up a fight and when it doesn't come off well or a groundswell of disapproval occurs, make like a victim and keep pointing the finger outward. Sickening - talk about NO RESPONSIBILITY."
That's funny, because that's exactly what the far left does as well. How can these message boards be filled with so many 1 sided tools?
No, Crapper. Those are all far right tactics. And you're trying to use another far right tactic. Blame the other side for what you do, so that what you do seems alright. We already know all your tricks. And as far as tools go.......you're the tool here.
I know you are but what am I.
@sosickofthegop, grow a set and be a man.
SoSickoftheGop,
I love people like you. You use the exact same tactics as the side you disagree with and try to claim the "moral high ground".
Does the word hypocrite mean anything to you?
Please grow up someday and learn to realize that both political parties and their mindless supporters are corrupt, ignorant and far too ready to ignore their own faults so they can play the blame game and point the finger at their opponents.
As for blaming the other side for what you do, so that what you do seems alright...hmmmmmm you might want to mention that to Obama, the Democrats and all the other liberal/progressive supporters out there who do nothing but blame Bush, the Republicans and conservatives for all the ills of the world.
Sounds like both sides are saying the exact same thing from here.
And people wonder why I think the human race is terminally stupid. Go figure.
Wizard: All arguing sounds silly from the outset, from an objective, uninformed point of view. especially when you can't independently verify which side is actually relaying truthfully what occured; which was the original subject of the back and forth. THATS where it becomes the LISTENER'S responsibility to know what the facts are through paying attention to what's actually happening factually, over a long and consistent period of time (not anyone's opinions, but physically verifiable fact) in one's political system. In other words if an argument sounds like it's all the same it's cause you don't know what is true...THAT, my dear, is YOUR fault...not paying attention and being too lazy to participate, to pay attention to your own political truth is lazy and useless and an enemy of our Great Democratic Experiment. Don't whine that people argue, arguing is COMMUNICATION and if you aren't stupid or lazy, you can listen and know who is honorable and truthful.
The 31-year-old former army commando went into hiding after the assault but issued a statement at the weekend blaming the two middle-aged women for deliberately provoking him into the attack.
Really manly dude, really. Hitting a woman on television?
There goes any future you had in politics you Nazi vermin.
It's not nice to insult vermin like that........saying that they are like this guy.
Best place to bitch slap on wordwide TV hahahaha.
Typical coward, beats up the women and then runs away. I say each women nominate a male family member to kick this punks butt. Any women that is a member of this party sets woman's rights back 100 years. They will be identifiable via their dirty knees.
The far right, by any other name, on any continent, is always comprised of paranoid, ignorant, nut cases.
Rick,
I don't know much about this guy, but from what I have read, he may be paranoid, ignorant and a nut case; but please don't limit that description to just the right. You really have to hear some of the things the Democratic party leaders are saying here in WI. Even the number one Democratic Senator in the WI legislator disavowed them.
Are you implying that the far left is any better? Because if you are, you are a moron.
He disavowed them publicly............but we all know they're true.
Oh, I get it now. SSOTGOP thinks far right wingers are paranoid, ignorant, nut cases--BUT, far leftwingers are the guardians of the truth. A fascist by any other name is still a...?
So,
When you go to Wikipedia and find uninformed, you will be listed. I have to assume that you just didn't hear what they said, because if you did and you can still say what you said, you are the problem.
Typical wife beater. Wish I had $1000 for every time I heard, "Why are you making me do this to you?" type excuses for the verbal and physical punishment I've seen such expend on their wives, children and less fortunate weaker men to cross their paths.
Cat-o-nine tails and rock salt. Since he claims to be a real man, he needs to join a real man's navy circa mid-1800 as a press ganged traitor with an aristocrat's writ as to his rebellious nature. The time period fits his attitude perfectly. When he's ready to join the modern world, we'll send the time machine for him.
I watched the video without sound. The man initiated physical hostilities by throwing the water. No matter what words were said, he single-handedly turned a political roundtable (however rude and pointless it may have been) into a disgusting display of violence. His actions could not have been much worse. The woman with the newspaper (not a genius herself) could not have possibly hurt him. I have dealt with violent attacks from people not as strong as I am, and if in the same position as that man, I would simply have held the woman's wrists until she could have been restrained by professional authorities. It would not have been hard, especially for an experienced soldier. Slapping her repeatedly was out of hand. Unlike some other posters here, I have no comments about his endowment or sexual function. That's absurd. His problem is in his heart and his mind, and I question if they can be fixed. He should be processed as an assailant, and should receive no judicial remedy for his own claim. His own actions took him out of the legal system and put him in a back alley. Now he's running back to a court? Incredible. I'm not a leftist, but his actions were inexcusable.
No, we won't.
Tap out - Slap out. I'm in. put em down nothin like the real thing. huh baby
He is a thug acting with unrestrained juvenile behavior. His 15 minutes of fame should be up after this. If he desired a political career he should be denied now based on his recent actions and anyone who is professionally associated with him would be well served to avoid him in the future. This guy's old life is over. He needs to reinvent himself which is unlikely. Let's hope he doesn't do something stupid and more violent to justify his behavior.
"By lying low, Kasidiaris avoided an arrest warrant for the attack. According to Greek law, the arrest warrant for a minor crime must be carried out by midnight on the day following the incident"
So all you have to do to get away with a crime is to hide for a while? This is something they need to change, and someone needs to seriously kick his a$$ in public, then go hide for a couple days. BTW, hiding like that, in America, we call it being a chicken $hit.
According to Greek law, the arrest warrant for a minor crime must be carried out by midnight on the day following the incident
You indicate that they need to change this, presumably to match our US laws. Are you suggesting that they just scrap their body of law and adopt ours?
Sue em big. Those loud mouth know it all needs to refram them selfs. They think their words have no influence, maybe a hard slap across the face will make em think!
Ragge, please do us all a favor and shut the hell up. And learn to spell.
Like a WICCAN spell, cast be neath the trailer wheels all that be un beliven in hell
@OneSaneMan--Uh oh, Guess we all better put on our necklaces of garlic and sprinkle salt on all the windowseals before we go to bed tonight!
@Ragge--Hey-play fair! No casting spells!
That's what we need in this country. Neither party has any respect for the other, so let's see some bitch-slapping once in awhile.
LMAO well i guess some things dont change despite being thousands of miles away...blames everyone else for his actions, doesnt like what others have to say so reacts in a mean and violent fashion...is promising to rid the country of illegal immigrants and seal its borders with landmines...this sounds familiar doesnt it...lol
The far right is where evil lives - whether it's Greece, Nazi Germany, or rural America. It's all the same - just evil.
Let EVIL Rain down upon them!
Yeah, because the far left is so much more peaceful and honest. Don't be such a tool.
Apparently the far left is just as evil............extremes from either side are radicals so if you don't understand that don't make statements that are factually wrong.
gtouch................did you think all of us Dems would sit around forever and let you guys sucker punch us? We'll be fighting back soon. Very very soon.
GCV
"The far right is where evil lives - whether it's Greece, Nazi Germany, or rural America. It's all the same - just evil."
You're calling rural America 'evil'? Are kidding me? You're calling all of Greece evil? I'm not condoning far right ideologies, but that was an assanine remark.
Did you see that left right combo man thats just sweet. I been practicing that jezzzz he's just the best!!!!
Typical right wing douche-bag. Nothing new here.
Beating up women. Now THAT takes class.
Punching or hitting Communists, of either sex, is always ok.
Make sure you knock her teeth out next time.
The modern right wing, including the tea party, has a lot in common communism than they care to admit.
Both think the rules don't really apply to them. Both want a one-party rule. Both supress democracy. Both confuse loyalty to them with loyalty to the country. Both want to get rid of people who don't cowtow to the party line. Both think it's OK to spy on your own citizens. Both claim to be for average people when they just want power over them. Both want a government that turns a blind eye to their activities and a harsh eye to everyone else. Both want to be in control of the economy in order to suit their goals. Both hate freedom.
Hey kuncklehead, if you changed your 1st sentence to "The modern left wing" and removed the tea party your statment would be just as accurate. Who's towing the party line now?
Nationalism is a commonality of both extreme right wingers and communists. I thought Alverant's point was reasonable. Pride in your country is good, but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed and both Nazi & Communists, despite being far right and far left, share this common aspect.
25 deleted, JohnCrapper calling for more women to be assaulted, continuing a history of proud trolling and #1 violations. Banned.
Amazing what wussies are the Greek. Two men half heartedly attempt to stop him. Golden Dawn my ass, let's get this guy over hear for a little talk!
Unfortunately the Golden Dawn party has a lot of supporters in the police. Much like the tea party in the USA. That's how they're able to get away with making threats.
I'd do more than talk, I'd beat him so hard his mama wouldn't recognize him, a man does not hit a woman, it's just that simple. The men there should have beat the snot out of this pussy. At least broke his arms so he would not be able to hurt another woman for a while.