Fight Breaks Out Live during TV Debate on ISIS

A debate on Al-Jazeera TV on the ISIS takeover of Mosul turned ugly on June 17, 2014, with political activist Najeh Al-Mizan throwing a pen at journalist Abu Firas Al-Hamadani and beating him with his mobile phone. The debate continued with Al-Mizan alone, after Al-Hamadani left the studio, and TV host Faysal Al-Qassem, pointing to drops of blood on the table, accused Al-Hamadani of having an hysterical fit and attacking his adversary.

Following are excerpts:

Iraqi journalist Abu Firas Al-Hamadani: The issue goes beyond Al-Maliki. There are many reservations about Al-Maliki all over Iraq, but there is a legitimate democratic process sin Iraq, acknowledged by the whole world: by the EU, the U.S. and the U.N.

[...]

Both guests shout at one another, while TV host Faysal Al-Qassem

Iraqi political activist Najeh Al-Mizan: Al-Maliki and all those lowlifes are collaborators with Iran.

Abu Firas Al-Hamadani: Al-Maliki is an elected leader...

Najeh Al-Mizan: Anyone who calls Al-Maliki a leader can go to hell...

Al-Mizan throws a pen at Al-Hamadani, and then, after the latter gets up to retaliate, beats him with his mobile phone, as a studio hand tries to separate the two

[...]

Only Al-Mizan remains in the studio, along with host Al-Qassem

Najeh Al-Mizan: Today, the people has risen. It is an all-encompassing popular tsunami. Al-Maliki and these people betray Iraq, with their baseness. The revolution will obviously come to an end...

TV host Faysal al-Qassem: Let me explain that we had with us Mr. Abu Firas Al-Hamadani, who had an hysterical fit and tried to attack Najeh Al-Mizan. He left the studio, bleeding. People should know what it was about. You can see the blood there.

Najeh Al-Mizan: Why did he leave of his own accord? We should have driven him out with our shoes. He shouldn't just bleed. These people should not be allowed to live. This is the kind of people who have turned Iraq into a laughing-stock. The whole world is laughing at us because of people like that.

[...]

Faysal al-Qassem: Aren't you afraid of the American position? The Americans say that Iraq is facing a terrorist organization. They are preparing to support Al-Maliki. We should take this into consideration. We cannot simply ignore it.

Najeh Al-Mizan: [Sunni] forces that were weaker than the forces fighting today... I'm talking about the popular revolution, about the tribal and the noble rebels... These are the same people who made [the Americans] board their ships and leave. They cannot do a thing. Noble Iraqis view the Americans as less than worthless. They cannot save themselves, let alone save Al-Maliki. Al-Maliki will be toppled, and no one will shed a tear. He and all that scum will end up in the garbage bin of history.

[...]

Faysal al-Qassem: I would like to thank our two guests – Mr. Abu Firas Al-Hamadani, who was here, to my right, but then attacked the other guest, and, unfortunately, left the studio. He is the one who started the fight. I would also like to thank Najeh Al-Mizan, one of the spokesmen for the popular movement in Iraq.

[...]