MEP Nikos Papas Attacks NEWS 24/7 Journalist

The incident occurred at a bar in Strasbourg, where the journalists from the assignment were present, on Tuesday night around 11:30 PM local time. MEP Nikos Papas was at the same bar with his colleagues.

The journalist was leaving the bar with a colleague to head to their hotel when MEP Papas, as he passed by, tripped him. Surprised, Giannopoulos asked him why he did that, saying, “Don’t touch me again.”

Papás then invited him to “step outside to settle this.”

As Giannopoulos continued to leave the bar and approached the door connecting the bar to a dining area, he suddenly received two strong punches to the back of his head, causing him to fall in the hallway between the two establishments. Despite the shock and pain (considering Papas’ background as an athlete standing 1.97 meters tall), Giannopoulos shouted at him, “What are you doing? You’re still an MEP!”

In response, Papas said, “How could I not hit you, looking like you do?”

Giannopoulos returned to the bar, injured, to inform his colleagues that he had been attacked by MEP Nikos Papas.

The group then left the bar (including the victim, the journalists, and Papas with his associates). Papas made derogatory remarks about Giannopoulos, who then left with a colleague and returned to their hotel. After midnight, Giannopoulos received several calls on his phone from MEP Papas as well as two apologetic messages via WhatsApp, to which he did not respond.

On December 17th, Giannopoulos filed a complaint with the police in Alsace, Strasbourg, providing a detailed account of the incident.

Papás is now accused of committing violence as a public figure in a calm mental state. He is being sought under a flagrant offense, which is not covered by parliamentary immunity. The judiciary will take over, and Greek political parties must begin to scrutinize the individuals they send to the European Parliament.