10 Times Political Debates Went Horribly Wrong
By Jake Adams
Earlier this week, a Polish politician was debating a transvestite known as Rafalala on the Polish news channel Polsat News. During the discussion, Artur Zawisza of Ruch Narodowy [National movement] said “I’m here as a representative of the normal world. It’s unimaginable that I have to sit in the same studio with this thing I can’t even bear to look at.”
At this point Rafalala has enough. She grabs her cup of water and throws it at Zawisza, forcing the program’s host to intervene.
This isn’t the only time political speeches or debates have ended in turmoil. Here are 10 other examples from around the world, of political discussions gone wrong.
1) In this Lebanese political debate that takes place between Mustapha Alloush and Fayez Shukr, things get heated when Alloush calls president Bashar-Al-Assad a liar. This is too much for his opponent to take, and after trading some verbal insults, violence is the next logical step.
2) During a debate on Greek television in 2012, prior to the Greek election, politician Ilias Kasidiaris of the far right party Golden Dawn loses his cool when the his opponents mention his upcoming trial for robbery. First he throws a glass of water at rival MP Rena Dourou, before turning his attention to Liana Kanelli to his left, whom he slaps three times, after being swatted with a newspaper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpKhqsV4HZM
3) This remarkable brawl begins when the Czech deputy prime minister, Miroslav Macek, decided to smack the health minister, David Rath, across the back of the head, for what he says are, personal issues. After initially walking away, the health minister returns, goes face to face with Macek and blocks a punch, before the two men wrestle each other to the ground. Perhaps the personal issues were related to the medical profession, since Rath is a doctor and Macek a former dentist?
4) This one doesn’t involve politicians, but it’s one of the strangest fights you’ll see, between two Jordanian journalists arguing over political issues. When the debate gets heated over the crisis in Syria, they decide to dismantle the table.
5) Fisty-cuffs are rare in American politics, but the debates can still get a little heated. In this altercation between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, Mitt gets as close to a fight as you’re likely to see during a televised political debate on CNN, when he puts his hand on his opponent’s shoulder for interrupting him. Gasp!
6) Back to Jordan again, and something you’d never expect to see, even in countries where carrying a gun is legal. With the host clearly struggling to calm the war of words between the two Jordanian politicians, one of them, Muhammad Shawabka, has enough, after being called a mafia thief. First, he throws one of his shoes at his opponent (Mansour Seif-Eddine), then he pulls out a pistol! It’s not long before the two get in to a shoving match and Shawabka thankfully puts his pistol away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rcyZmuuVV0
7) This argument over education in Israel doesn’t lead to a physical fight. What it does lead to is right wing politician, Anastassia Michaeli, throwing a glass of water at her left wing opponent Raleb Majadele, after he calls her a fascist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt6UNoUBpqA
8) Two Indian politicians begin to brawl on Indian channel NTV after the one on the left decides to smack his opponent over the head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgkaPnZQLTI
9) In this particular case, the debate doesn’t take place in a studio, and the attacker has a gun! Ahmed Dogan, the leader of the Movement for right and Freedoms party in Greece, is giving a speech on a podium, when Oktai Enimehmedov runs up on the stage pointing a gun at him. Having failed to load it properly, he is briskly wrestled to the ground and beaten down by conference delegates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHwz3BwpkHk
10) Forget those sissy political in-studio fights. How about a good old free for all brawl in the Ukrainian parliament over the decision to approve a presidential decree that will call up more military reserves to combat rebels in Eastern Ukraine.