A Brazilian mayoral candidate bludgeoned his political rival over the head with a chair during a live televised debate on Sunday. José Luiz Datena, a news anchor, accosted Pablo Marcal, a right-wing influencer and life coach, on stage after the latter referenced sexual harassment allegations against the former. A video of the assault, which ends as the camera cuts to the dumbfounded debate moderator, has been published by the Daily Mail. Both men are running for mayor of São Paulo. Soon after the attack, Marcal was rushed to the hospital with chest fractures and difficulty breathing, while Datena was expelled from the venue. Shockingly, the debate continued after a brief recess. “The debate continued subject to the consultation and agreement of the other candidates,” the channel that organized the debate, TV Cultura, wrote in a statement. In comments made as he left the debate, Datena admitted to “losing it” in the moment. He said his reaction was tied to the death of his mother, which he suggested was a result of the stress of the harassment allegations against him. “I don’t choose moments of emotion,” Datena said. “I’m a real man.”
