Hunt For Greek MP After Attack On Live TV - Sky News

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6:48pm UK, Thursday June 07, 2012

Police in Greece are hunting for a far-right MP after he slapped one left-wing female politician and threw a glass of water at another during a live TV debate.

Following the incident, the attacker Ilias Kasidiaris was locked in a room at the Athens studios but broke down a door and escaped, according to the TV host.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Mr Kasidiaris, spokesman for the far-right Golden Dawn party, as tensions ahead of fresh elections in Greece became explosive.

A public prosecutor ordered police to track him down and detain him on charges of causing serious bodily harm, a court official said.

He faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted but may be fined.

Mr Kasidiaris, 31, lashed out during a morning talk show in response to comments from rival politician Rena Dourou of the Syriza party.

In response to criticism from Rena Douru, far-right MP Ilias Kasidiaris leaps from his seat and throws water at his rival

After Ms Douru made reference to a court case pending against him and said his party "will take the country back 500 years", Mr Kasidiaris leapt from his chair and threw a glass of water over her.

When Communist party deputy Liana Kanelli stood up to condemn Mr Kasidiaris and threw a newspaper at him, the ex-special forces weightlifting enthusiast turned his rage on her.

Mr Kasidiaris slapped Ms Kanelli around the face three times as she struggled to defend herself.

When Communist MP Liana Kanelli protests, Mr Kasidiaris aims a punch at her

Host Giorgos Papadakis ran across the set shouting, "No, No" as he attempted to intervene, but he was too slow to stop the attack.

Mr Kasidiaris has been one of the most vocal critics of claims that Golden Dawn is a violent organisation with a history of targeting Greece's immigrant populations.

Golden Dawn - surprise winner of 7% of the vote in recent elections - said in a statement that Mr Kasidiaris had been provoked.

The presenter tries to intervene, but cannot stop Mr Kasidiaris landing another blow on the female MP

It said: "If anybody wants us to condemn our colleague over this indeed unfortunate moment, they should first condemn Kanelli's attack and slandering."

Interim government spokesman Dimitris Tsiodras called the assault "an attack against every democratic citizen".

Mr Kasidiaris appeared in court on Monday accused of aiding and abetting a 2007 armed robbery in which a student was stabbed. He denies the charges. His trial was postponed until June 11.

Prokopis Pavlopoulos, a former conservative New Democracy minister also participating in the talk show, said Mr Kasidiaris' thuggish behaviour should leave Greeks in "no doubt" as to the true nature of Golden Dawn.

He said: "Now that they have seen what this party is really about, Greeks will have no alibi to vote for them again."