Pulling a gun on live TV is certainly a good way to get people interested in politics, though I’m sure it doesn’t settle very well with the individual who is staring down the barrel of said weapon. This is precisely what happened during a recent debate on a Arab-language television talk show, according to the Associated Press. When things got heated between Jordanian opponents Mohammed Shawabka and Mansour Seif-Eddine Murad, Shawabka threw his shoe and then brandished a pistol, which he pointed in Murad’s general direction.
Murad, an activist who has ties to various Arab nationalist groups, filed a complaint against his opponent at Amman’s First Instance Court on Monday, stating that Shawabka had attempted to murder him. “He was going to shoot me and he should be punished for that,” he said.
Prosecutors are currently investigating the matter. However, since Shawabka didn’t point the weapon directly at Murad’s head, for example, trying to pin attempted murder on the man is a little difficult. Although pulling a gun during a heated argument, especially one that’s being broadcast to a large group of people courtesy of a satellite system, is definitely cause for concern, attempted murder might be out of the equations. Still, prosecutors seem to think there could be serious charges levied against Shawabka for his behavior.
These sort of violatile debates are apparently quite common on Arabic-language television programs, with hosts often booking guests who violently oppose one another. The Shawabka/Murad debacle shows just how extreme these debates can get, particularly when these individuals simply cannot stand the sight of one another.
Mohammed Habashna, who hosted the debates between the two political adversaries, was a little shocked by how the events played out. ” I couldn’t believe my eyes,” he said. “It was like the Wild West, but we needed horses in the studio.”
If you’re curious to see the incident for yourself, check out the video below.