Journalists in Jordan smash table during on-air argument

ASSOCIATED PRESS

11 years ago

This image made from a Tuesday, May 6, 2014 video made available by Seven Stars Television shows an on-air fight between Jordanian journalists Mohammad al-Jayousi, left, and Shaker al-Johari, right, that took place during a talk show over a disagreement on the Syrian crisis. Al-Johari and al-Jayousi were appearing as guests on Seven Stars TV show when the discussion became heated. The speakers broke apart the studios table they had been seated in an attempt to fight each other. Al-Jayousi accused al-Johari of supporting the Syrian revolution and he was in turn accused of backing Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad in exchange for money. (AP Photo/Seven Stars Television via AP video) JORDAN OUT

This image made from a Tuesday, May 6, 2014 video made available by Seven Stars Television shows an on-air fight between Jordanian journalists Mohammad al-Jayousi, left, and Shaker al-Johari, center, that took place during a talk show over a disagreement on the Syrian crisis. Al-Johari and al-Jayousi were appearing as guests on Seven Stars TV show when the discussion became heated. The speakers broke apart the studios table they had been seated in an attempt to fight each other. Al-Jayousi accused al-Johari of supporting the Syrian revolution and he was in turn accused of backing Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad in exchange for money. (AP Photo/Seven Stars Television via AP video) JORDAN OUT

AMMAN, Jordan — Two journalists in Jordan having a televised debate about the civil war in neighboring Syria literally turned — and overturned — the table on each other during an on-air brawl.

The program aired on Tuesday on the “Seven Stars” satellite television channel.

It featured journalists Shaker al-Johari and Mohammad al-Jayousi talking about the 3-year-old war pitting rebels against President Bashar Assad’s government, a conflict that activists say has killed more than 150,000 people.

However, the debate fell apart as al-Jayousi accused al-Johari of supporting the Syrian rebels. Al-Johari then accused al-Jayousi of taking money for supporting Assad.

The two men, obviously carried away by the debate, stood up and grabbed the edge of the studio table they had been seated at, and tried to fight each other.

In the scuffle, the top of the table broke off and the rest of it toppled as the moderator and studio workers tried to stop the fight and finally separated the two journalists.