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Photos of Kuwait Parliament Brawl Go Viral on Social Media | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Kuwaiti Parliament Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim (C) looks on during a parliament session on June 8, 2016 at the national assembly in Kuwait City. YAsser al-Zayyat/AFP


Dammam-A Kuwaiti National Assembly session witnessed at noon Monday a brawl among lawmakers which included a fistfight and hurling shoes in a reminder of similar disputes that have erupted in the past.

The brawl began with a verbal dispute between lawmakers Ali al-Khamis, who was recently elected, and Hamdan al-Azmi over the latter’s objection to the municipal law.

Several lawmakers interfered to resolve the dispute. But another argument erupted between MP Sultan al-Ghaitham and al-Azmi during which shoes and papers were hurled at each other.

Among the items that were thrown was the constitution book, which al-Azmi had allegedly hurled at al-Ghaitham last Thursday but had failed to target him, instead hitting another member of the National Assembly.

The dispute forced Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim to ask the National Assembly guards to clear the hall.

Al-Khamis was elected during by-elections held in February after receiving 7,311 votes. Al-Khamis, 40, has a BA degree in law from the University of Cairo and works as an attorney.

When lawmakers were discussing the municipal law last month, al-Azmi made objections. On Monday, he made remarks about the law without using his microphone, accusing the government of not respecting the Assembly and slamming the parliament for not respecting its decisions.

His remarks angered al-Khamis, who confronted him. Their argument turned into a fight.

When several lawmakers interfered to resolve the problem, the dispute went quickly out of control and the photos went viral on social media.

Disputes at the Kuwaiti National Assembly are common. But this one was widely talked about over social media because it took place during the Holy month of Ramadan and because lawmakers swore at each other, engaged in a fistfight and hurled shoes while fasting.