Wahhab-Abou Fadel verbal clash escalates into on-air brawl

A verbal clash between ex-minister Wiam Wahhab and the journalist Simon Abou Fadel escalated into a fistfight during an on-air episode of MTV’s popular talk show Sar el-Wa2et (It’s About Time).

The fistfight immediately turned into a mass brawl and chaos on the show’s set, with supporters of Wahhab seen beating up Abou Fadel and MTV security scrambling to contain the situation.

Wahhab and Abou Fadel exchanged insults before the former minister threw a glass of water at the journalist and a brief fistfight ensued between the two. The two guests were discussing the issue of possible foreign sanctions on the obstructors of Lebanon’s presidential election.

The brawl continued outside MTV’s building amid an intervention of army troops.

The show continued later and both Wahhab and Abou Fadel returned to the set to make comments – albeit separately.

In his comments, Wahhab apologized to MTV chairman Michel Murr, Sar el-Wa2et host Marcel Ghanem and the audience, as well as to Abou Fadel, describing him as an old friend.

Abou Fadel for his part said that his bruised face reflects his “conscience.”

“I talk for the sake of the people and the people’s children, not to please a certain party,” Abou Fadel added.

“What happened with me is easy compared to what (Lebanese Forces chief) Samir Geagea suffered in his prison,” the journalist went on to say, noting that what Wahhab and his supporters did reflected “the image of the political camp that wants to rule” the country.

Abou Fadel also reminded of the 1994 bombing of the Our Lady of Salvation church and the assassinations of Ramzi Irani, Elie Hobeika, Rafik Hariri, Pierre Gemayel and other March 14 figures.

“I am nothing before their sacrifices and I wish I could be one of them,” he added.