With a post on Instagram Stories, SYRIZA MEP Nikos Pappas has broken his silence and continues to provoke over the assault on journalist Nikos Giannopoulos in Strasbourg.

While he admits that he reacted wrongly, he nevertheless leaves clear insinuations regarding the condition the journalist was allegedly in, according to his own claims.

Nikos Pappas, who is currently being sought by the authorities, states that the media rushed to condemn him before hearing his version of events. He acknowledges that his own reaction was wrong, but adds that he should have responded differently to what the journalist said and did, given the condition he claims the journalist was in.

He further states that, out of respect for the fact that Nikos Giannopoulos is the father of two children, he will not publicly analyze what happened on Tuesday night. However, he implies that he was provoked, stressing:
“What comes before an incident is neither erased nor discounted in the attribution of responsibility.”

The Violent Incident in Strasbourg

As reported earlier, SYRIZA MEP Nikos Pappas was the protagonist in a violent incident with journalist Nikos Giannopoulos as the victim. The two men were at the same venue on Tuesday night in Strasbourg, where the journalist was attacked by the MEP.

Accompanied by eyewitnesses, Giannopoulos went to the local police station and filed a complaint against the MEP, who is being sought under the flagrante delicto procedure, as the offense does not fall under parliamentary immunity.

It is noted that Sokratis Famellos removed Nikos Pappas from the SYRIZA delegation in the European Parliament following the incident, while the MEP is also expected to be expelled from the party.

How the Assault Unfolded

The incident occurred in Strasbourg—both the seat of the European Parliament and France’s “Christmas capital.” Despite being one of the safest cities in France and Europe, this did not prevent an episode of extreme, multi-layered violence.

On December 16 at around 11:00 p.m., a group of Greek journalists covering the plenary session of the European Parliament were present at a central restaurant-bar. Nikos Pappas was also there, though not part of the same group.

As two journalists were leaving the venue, Pappas stood up and aggressively confronted Giannopoulos, shouting that the journalist had stepped on him without apologizing. Giannopoulos, visibly surprised, replied that he had never touched him and claimed that Pappas had attempted to trip him.

Pappas followed the two journalists toward the exit. In the corridor, he grabbed Nikos Giannopoulos from behind by the neck and struck him repeatedly. The journalist fell to the ground, unable to react, given the MEP’s physical stature as a former professional basketball player.

The victim and an eyewitness returned to the restaurant in shock and alerted the rest of the group. Outside, they again encountered Pappas in an agitated state, attempting once more to attack the journalist.

The threats escalated further when Pappas allegedly said:
“I hit you because look at the state you’re in.”
At that point, it became clear that the MEP was not attempting to hide behind any justifications; he had effectively admitted to the assault and insisted it was only the beginning.

After approximately 20 minutes, Pappas left the scene, saying, “I apologize to you for the tension,” while the victim returned to his hotel in a state of profound shock.

Aftermath

Giannopoulos reports that about an hour later, Pappas sent him apologetic messages and called him by phone, only to delete them shortly afterward. The next morning, Pappas encountered the journalist at the hotel where they were both staying and sat at the same breakfast table, greeting him with:
“Good morning, everything okay?”

When the journalist asked him to leave, Pappas reportedly responded:
“Can’t I have coffee at my own hotel?”

Giannopoulos further claims that he had received threatening messages from Pappas in the past, dating back to the period when Pappas was an athlete and not an elected representative.

The journalist, accompanied by members of the Greek press delegation, filed a formal complaint at Strasbourg’s central police headquarters. The flagrante delicto procedure was initiated, as assault is not covered by MEP immunity.