By Mary Harris
German former minister Peter Ramsauer of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria attacked a photo-reporter during a meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.
Leftist Avgi newspaper reports that the Greek photographer was among a large number of photo journalists doing their job at Maximos Mansion, where the official headquarters of the Greek PM are based. While trying to get the perfect shot, he accidentally bumped into Ramsauer, the politician known in his own country as being the self-appointed “shepherd” of the German language, seeking to purify it of English loanwords.
Ramsauer yelled at the Greek photojournalist in German and English. “Don’t touch me, you filthy Greek,” he yelled. Officials from Tsipras’ office immediately reacted by lodging a complaint with German diplomats.
The former German minister denied that the incident took place. He said that the Greek journalist was the one that had pounced on him physically, causing bruises. Gabriel’s official photographer however confirmed that the incident had taken place. Members of the German delegation rushed to apologize to the Greek reporter on behalf of Ramsauer.
