A recent debate between prominent Egyptian leaders came to punches, with one well-known Muslim sheikh threatening to hit his counterpart "with a shoe" before tossing a chair and several cups across an interview table, according to video of the incident.
Sheikh Mohammad Al-Mallah, a Salafi cleric, was debating Islamic researcher Yasser Farawila when the conversation turned to blows live on the Egyptian Alhadath Alyoum TV network, according to video published by the Middle East Media Research Institute.
This is not the first time prominent Egyptian experts have been caught engaging in violence during television interviews.
"You are an insolent lowlife. Cut this bullshit," Farawila said to Al-Mallah during a debate about whether certain religious books promote radical terrorism.
"You are supported by Iran. You are a Shi'ite thief operating in Egypt, dealing under the table," Al-Mallah retorted.
Farawila later told Al-Mallah, "I would hit you in the face with 30 shoes."
The two then began throwing cups and chairs at one another before the host was forced to shutdown the broadcast.