Nikos Pappas admitted the attack on Nikos Giannopoulos

Nikos Pappas publicly admitted on Friday morning (19/12) that he assaulted NEWS 24/7 journalist Nikos Giannopoulos. Appearing in the media almost 72 hours after the incident, the MEP—who has since been expelled from SYRIZA—stated characteristically: “Yes, I raised my hand, but I did not punch him.”
The reality, however, is that he struck the journalist from behind—twice.

Mr Pappas then put forward the claim that the NEWS 24/7 journalist was intoxicated. He stated verbatim: “I saw him as a strange figure; he had drunk quite a lot and was looking for trouble. I took him outside, and when we went out, I insisted that he tell me who he was so we could draw our conclusions.”

This is false. As confirmed by his colleagues who were with him at the venue at the time, the NEWS 24/7 journalist had consumed only one non-alcoholic beer.

Moreover, anyone who knows Mr Giannopoulos personally—even slightly—knows that he does not drink alcohol.

Mr Pappas also claims that the journalist made a remark about a sensitive personal issue, which he says he will even include in the lawsuit he intends to file (!). This is yet another lie. No such comment was ever made; there are witnesses—the Greek journalists present.

Mr Pappas raised his hand the moment the journalist crossed the threshold of the bar, and he did so without hearing any comment that could have caused him, as he claims, to lose his composure. He struck the journalist forcefully on the left rear part of the head and on the left temple, knocking him to the ground due to the severity of the blow. The area struck was such that it was impossible for any visible mark to be left. At no point did the journalist say to him, “I will destroy you”; this existed only in the imagination of the MEP, who will, of course, be called upon to prove his claims.

Mr Pappas also never made any reference to calling the authorities and is lying when he says that the victim left the scene after such a reference was made. Of the six calls he made, the victim answered only the first, as he did not recognize the number. The messages, in which Mr Pappas showed a tendency toward apology, he deleted himself five minutes later. The reason is unknown; he will be called upon to explain it himself.

Finally, regarding the incident the following day at the hotel breakfast, Mr Pappas claims that the journalist gestured at him. This too, as his fellow journalists can attest, is false. No gesture was made. Mr Pappas was the one who spoke first and asked to sit with them. The journalist told him to leave the area; otherwise, he himself would depart—which he did. The journalist returned ten minutes later, after Mr Pappas had already left.