Moment MP hurls chair as punches are thrown in brawl inside Armenia's parliament
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This is the moment MPs hurled chairs and exchanged punches at one another during a huge brawl inside Armenia's parliament.
The chaotic scenes started after an MP from the country's ruling party raised the issue of corruption among the former president - and opposition MPs accused them of wanting to set up a 'Ministry of Sex'.
Taron Chakhoyan, from the Civil Contract party which has governed the former Soviet country since 2018, focused his attack on the leader of the Strong Armenia party - Narek Karapetyan - who he said was 'mired in corruption'.
He said: 'People mired in corruption are now lecturing us about corruption and fake news, claiming that their relatives have supposedly become targets of [government pressure].
'Mr Karapetyan, it's not my fault that your entire family is involved in politics, including your uncle, father and cousin.'
He then reminded MPs that Mr Karapetyan's cousin had once proposed setting up a government ministry to 'satisfy all women' - a reference to remarks Sargis Karapetyan made on an Armenian podcast advocating for the creation of a 'Ministry of Sex'.
A heated exchange quickly ensued between the two legislators with the pair hurling verbal abuse at each other before they started scuffling.
Violence quickly descended on the floor of the National Assembly when MPs from both parties started fighting.
The chaotic scenes started after an MP from Armenia's ruling party raised the issue of corruption among the former president and opposition MPs accused them of wanting to set up a 'Ministry of Sex'
However, the Speaker refused to suspend the session or interrupt the live broadcast of the parliament, which was being shown to thousands of Armenians.
Speaker Ruben Rubinyan said: 'I want everyone to see all of this.'
The fight was finally brought to a halt when a chair was thrown towards the Deputy Speaker Vahagn Aleksanyan, although a number of MPs continued to brawl away from the cameras.
Once the session resumed, Mr Chakhoyan apologised and described the opposition MPs as 'hooligans'.
But Mr Karapetyan defended the fight, calling it a 'normal Armenian-style man-to-man fight'.
'People who had been getting on our nerves for months got it right in the mouth - and got it good,' he added.
Armenia's Prime Minister, who did not attend the debate, also waded into the controversy claiming that opposition MPs were 'reaping what they sow' after they failed to respond appropriately or condemn the behaviour of their fellow MPs.
He also warned that anyone who fights in the parliament will 'break' their arm.
Nikol Pashinyan told journalists: 'If anyone thinks they can raise a hand against a member of the National Assembly, hit them or do anything else, we will break that arm. I'm saying this plainly, without beating around the bush.'
A journalist asked: 'With a chair?'
Mr Pashinyan replied: 'If necessary, with a chair. They should know their place. There are limits to everything.'
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