Greek far-right politician Ilias Kasidiaris sues the woman he assaulted

The Greek far-right politician who caused an uproar last week by slapping one female politician on live television and throwing a glass of water at another launched a lawsuit against the women and the channel that hosted the show.

Ilias Kasidiaris, 31, of the Golden Dawn Party, avoided an arrest warrant for the confrontation last Thursday, resurfacing on Sunday after the warrant had expired. He appeared at an Athens court to submit lawsuits against the Communist Party candidate Liana Kanelli and the leftist Syriza party's Rena Dourou on charges of unprovoked insults and against Antenna television for illegal detention.

Authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Mr Kasidiaris after he threw water over Ms Dourou and then slapped Ms Kanelli three times across the face. Under Greek law, an arrest warrant for a misdemeanour must be carried out by midnight the day after the act has occurred, in which case a trial is immediate. If the suspect is not apprehended within that time, the case turns into a judicial procedure in which a trial date is set, often for several months or even years later. No court date has yet been set for Mr Kasidiaris. He argues that he was provoked by insults during the television show and that Ms Kanelli, 58, hit him first with a newspaper.

AP