Anger is common amongst the Greek electorate but even disgruntled citizens were shocked to witness a violent assault take place live on their television screens.
During a live debate on morning television a member of the fascist Golden Dawn party attacked and slapped a Communist Party MP. The heated debate was being broadcast on the state owned TV station Antenna TV.
In unprecedented scenes the Golden Dawn’s Ilias Kasidiaris slapped and punched Communist MP Liana Kanelli three times in the face. The attack came after Kasidiaris threw a glass of water at the Syriza MP Rena Dourou. In protest at the assault Liana stood up to oppose the enraged Kasidiaris who promptly rounded on her and carried out his attack.
The communist politician was the only one to challenge Kasidiaris despite the presence of several male members from other political parties; these included the former New Democracy interior minister. After the assault Kasidiaris then fled the studio apparently attacking several members of the TV stations staff as he went.
Kasidiaris is also facing charges for assisting an attack and robbery against a student in 2007, only yesterday his trial was adjourned until June 11th.
Based on an eye-witness report, Kasidiaris assisted five unidentified attackers that clubbed and stabbed a postgraduate student in order to take his identity card by providing them with the getaway car, which he owned. He is also being charged for illegally possessing a firearm.
State-run AMNA news agency says state prosecutor Eleni Raikou has issued a warrant for Kasidiaris’ arrest. Special police units have been deployed to assist in the hunt to find him.
The attack could spark further violence as it is unlikely that the extremist Golden Dawn party will willingly hand over one of their own. Fears of violence between Communists and Fascist supporters have seen authorities bolster the number of police on duty.
Elsewhere in Greece the Radical left coalition leader Alexis Tsipras has called on New Democracy’s leader Antonis Samaras to “stop hiding at last and appear and accept a public confrontation with him, without monologues prepared in advance”
He called on Samaras to appoint “whichever journalists he desires, whoever makes him feel better, even the New Democracy parties spokesman, provided that he accepts a live confrontation.”
Tsipras is becoming ever more optimistic that he will win the election on June 17th even claiming that Syriza will attain “certain victory that the people have finally altered the balance.”
The extremes from both Left and Right appear to becoming more and more militant and aggressive as the election deadline draws ever nearer. For the sake of Greece let us hope the people make the right choice.
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