Incident reported during work assignment
Greek journalist Nikos Giannopoulos, of NEWS 24/7, has filed a formal complaint with French authorities, reporting that he was assaulted by SYRIZA MEP Nikos Pappas while on assignment in Strasbourg.
According to Giannopoulos’ account, the incident occurred late on Tuesday night, shortly after 23:30, at a bar frequented by journalists and Members of the European Parliament.
Alleged physical attack inside venue
Giannopoulos reported that as he was preparing to leave the venue with a colleague, Pappas allegedly tripped him without provocation. When the journalist reacted by telling him not to touch him again, the MEP is said to have challenged him to “settle it outside”.
As Giannopoulos approached the connecting door to an adjacent restaurant, he reported receiving two strong punches to the head from behind, causing him to fall in the passageway. Despite the shock and pain, he said he managed to shout, “What are you doing? You’re an active MEP.”
According to the complaint, Pappas responded: “How could I not hit you like that?”
The journalist then returned inside the bar and informed colleagues of what had occurred.
Follow-up and police complaint
Following the incident, the group exited the venue, after which the MEP allegedly made derogatory remarks toward the journalist. Giannopoulos later left for his hotel with a colleague.
After midnight, he reported receiving multiple phone calls from Pappas’ number, as well as two WhatsApp messages that he did not answer.
On Wednesday, 17 December, Giannopoulos filed a complaint at the Alsace police headquarters in Strasbourg. The case was recorded as violence committed by an institutional representative while in a calm mental state. The reported offence is not covered by parliamentary immunity and constitutes a flagrant offence under French law.
SYRIZA removes MEP from Eurogroup
SYRIZA president Sokratis Famellos announced that Nikos Pappas was removed from the party’s delegation to the European Parliament, describing the behaviour as unacceptable. Famellos also requested the immediate activation of the party’s ethics committee and informed the head of SYRIZA’s Eurogroup delegation, Kostas Arvanitis.
Arvanitis contacted Pappas and subsequently informed the party leadership in Athens. In his capacity as vice-president of the European Left, he also notified the party’s leadership, with procedures reportedly initiated that could lead to Pappas’ expulsion from the group, along with the removal of parliamentary privileges and legislative responsibilities.
In a statement, the Left Eurogroup said it had been informed of the incident and had begun official procedures to determine the MEP’s status.
Government reaction and Pappas response
Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis condemned the incident, stating that the assault followed a pattern of aggressive behaviour and criticising SYRIZA for what he described as delayed action.
Giannopoulos later posted on social media that he was well and thanked colleagues for their support, adding that he would not be making further statements, noting that “the facts speak for themselves”.
In Instagram posts, Pappas acknowledged that his reaction was wrong but implied that the journalist’s condition had contributed to the incident. He said he would not publicly describe what preceded the event out of respect for the journalist and his family, while maintaining that responsibility did not lapse.
Search ongoing, internal party tensions
As of the latest update, Pappas had not been located by authorities, with reports indicating he was not present for the flagrant arrest procedure.
The incident has also triggered internal tensions within SYRIZA, with reports of disagreement over the handling of the case and concerns about its political impact.
Also read: Golden Dawn trial: “A criminal organisation with Nazi ideology”
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