video transcript

PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL This protest in Athens was planned weeks ago. It was intended to be a march against racism. It's become a mass demand for the exclusion of the far-right Golden Dawn party from parliament. Organisers say their ranks have been swollen after a deputy of the far-right Golden Dawn Party slapped another politician on live tv. SOUNDBITE: THANASIS KOURKOULAS, EXPEL RACISM ORGANISATION, SAYING (English): "After this incident, today thousands more people in all over Greece in 15 towns in anti-fascist demonstrations to to reply to this provocation, to day never again fascism in parliament." This was the moment Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris became the dubious star of the most dramatic scenes so far in the Greek election campaign. As debate descends into chaos he hurls a glass of water over a female leftist politician whom he called a tart. He goes on to slap the face of Communist Party deputy Liana Kanelli who came to her defence. An arrest order's been issued for Kasidiaris although he was still at large on Saturday. Some analysts say the live tv shocker has damaged the image of Golden Dawn and could lose votes for the anti-immigration movement. Polls produced before a pre-election blackout suggest Golden Dawn's support has dropped but was still enough to enter parliament. Paul Chapman, Reuters