Fighting lawmakers
Many Americans consider our current U.S. Congress uncivil and unproductive, but they're a far cry from those in history or brawling legislators around the world.
Some countries make a habit of 'mixing it up' more than others.
Caption: A northern cartoonist portrayed Senator Charles Sumner's caning by South Carolina representative Preston Brooks during a fierce debate over whether Kansas should enter the Union as a slave or free state in May 1856.
Fighting lawmakers - Kosovo
Opposition politicians release tear gas in parliament to obstruct a session in Pristina, Kosovo, February 19, 2016.
The Kosovo parliament elected the former prime minister and guerrilla commander Hashim Thaci as the new country's president despite opposition protests that included tear gas in the legislative chamber and petrol bombs outside the building.
Fighting lawmakers - Kosovo
Security guards wear gas masks after tear gas was released during a session of parliament in Pristina, Kosovo February 26, 2016.
Fighting lawmakers - Tokyo
Opposition lawmakers crowd around Masahisa Sato (2nd L), deputation chairman of the upper house special committee on security, at an upper house special committee session on security-related legislation at the parliament in Tokyo, Japan, September 17, 2015.
A late night vote authorizing overseas combat missions capped a hotly debated struggle within parliament and with the public. The vote marked a sea change in a decades-old policy allowing troops to fight abroad for the first time since World War II.
Fighting lawmakers - Tokyo
Lawmakers crowd around Yoshitada Konoike, chairman of the upper house special committee on security, as Masahisa Sato (R) of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's fist lands on opposition Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Hiroyuki Konishi (top) during a vote at an upper house special committee session on security-related legislation at the parliament in Tokyo, September 17, 2015.
A panel in Japan's upper house approved legislation for a security policy shift that would allow troops to fight abroad for the first time since World War II.
Fighting lawmakers - Hong Kong
Pro-democracy lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung is stopped by security guards as he throws a plastic hammer towards Hong Kong Chief Secretary Carrie Lam during a meeting to propose electoral reforms in the Legislative Council, July 15, 2014.
Fighting lawmakers - South Africa
Members of Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) (in red) clash with security officials after being ordered out of the chamber during President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation address in Cape Town, February 12, 2015.
The opening of South Africa's parliament descended into chaos as security officers fought with far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) lawmakers after they disrupted President Jacob Zuma's speech.
Fighting lawmakers - Turkey
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and ruling AK Party (R) lawmakers scuffle during a debate on legislation to boost police powers in the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, February 19, 2015.
The legislation, which would bolster the powers of the authorities to control protests, has been widely condemned by the opposition, who accuse the AKP of trying to create a police state in the NATO member nation.
Fighting lawmakers - Hong Kong
Pro-democracy lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung throws an object at Hong Kong's Financial Secretary John Tsang (not pictured) to demand a universal retirement protection scheme during the annual budget report at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, February 25, 2015.
Fighting lawmakers - Nepal
Constitution assembly members shout slogans during a parliament meeting on the final day to draft the new constitution in Kathmandu, January 22, 2015.
Fighting lawmakers - Turkey
Muhyettin Aksak, a lawmaker from the ruling AK Party (AKP), punches Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) Sinan Ogan (C) during a debate in parliament, August 4, 2014.
Three members of parliament were injured when a debate in the Turkish parliament turned into an all-out fist fight.
Legislators from Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party were discussing establishing an inquiry into Islamist militants fighting in neighboring Iraq and Syria.
Fighting lawmakers - Ukraine
Members of parliament scuffle with colleagues elected from their party who later refused to join a faction, at the first session of newly-elected Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, December 12, 2012.
Fighting lawmakers - Turkey
Member of parliament (MP) from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ali Ihsan Kokturk's nose bleeds as MPs from the ruling AK Party (AKP) and CHP scuffle during a debate on a draft law which will give the government tighter control over the appointment of judges and prosecutors, at a parliamentary session in Ankara, February 15, 2014.
Fighting lawmakers - Ukraine
A deputy, Oleg Lyashko (L), douses vice-speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Adam Martynyuk, with water during an extraordinary session of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, July 30, 2012.
Fighting lawmakers - Taiwan
Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators scuffle with ruling Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators (top) at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, July 8, 2010.
Taiwan legislators threw objects, splashed water and kicked one another, sending two to the hospital, in a brawl over how fast to ratify a trade pact with China shaping up as a pivotal election issue.
Fighting lawmakers - South Korea
Lawmakers of opposition parties help their fellow lawmaker (top) who tries to escape as they scuffle with lawmakers of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) at the National Assembly plenary session hall in Seoul December 8, 2010.
The opposition lawmakers were trying to prevent GNP lawmakers from passing new bills, including the new year's budget bill. South Korea's government rammed through the 2011 budget amid brawls between lawmakers over billions of dollars of spending on controversial projects to clean up the country's rivers.
Fighting lawmakers - Turkey
Turkey's ruling AK Party (AKP) lawmaker Muhittin Aksak (R) and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Mahmut Tanal (L) scuffle during a debate at the parliament in Ankara, February 8, 2012.
Fighting lawmakers - Ukraine
Vice speaker of the Ukrainian Vekhovnaya Rada, Adam Martynyuk (R), wraps his hand around the neck of deputy Oleg Lyashko during a session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, May 18, 2011.
Fighting lawmakers - Taiwan
Legislator Lin Hung-chih (L) from the ruling Nationalist Party (KMT) scuffles with legislator Chiu Chih-wei from the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, August 2, 2013.
Taiwan's legislators were about to vote on whether to adopt the proposed referendum on the controversial construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City. The red banner reads, "Stop construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant immediately."
Fighting lawmakers - Ukraine
Opposition deputies throw buckwheat at newly elected deputy Viktor Pylypyshyn (R) as he takes the oath in Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev, January 15, 2014.
Opposition deputies from the Svoboda (Freedom) Ukrainian nationalist party blamed Pylypyshyn for what they said were unfair elections. In Ukraine, buckwheat is a symbol of bribing voters.
Fighting lawmakers - Italy
Claudio Barbato (L), a member of the opposition FLI party, fights with Fabio Ranieri (R) from the Northern League in Parliament in Rome, October 26, 2011.
The Italian deputies exchanged blows in parliament as tensions over a tough economic reform program came to a head.
Fighting lawmakers - Ukraine
Deputies scuffle during a session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, May 24, 2012.
Opposition deputies brought proceedings to a halt inside the Ukrainian parliament when they staged an action against the bill about the basics of the language policy.