A teenager smashed an egg over an Australian lawmaker during a Saturday press conference after the politician blamed the New Zealand mosque shooting on Muslim immigration.
Queensland Sen. Fraser Anning held a press conference in Melbourne on Saturday about the shooting at a Christchurch mosque when a 17-year-old cracked an egg on him, eliciting a collective gasp from the crowd of 60 people gathered for the event before Anning slapped the teenager two times.
One of Anning’s staffers eventually broke up the fight between Anning and the 17-year-old, prompting Anning’s supporters to place the teen in a choke hold until authorities arrived, according to a video of the incident.
Authorities then arrested the 17-year-old, whose name has not been released, and later released him. Police are conducting an investigation into the scuffle.
Anning faced heavy backlash from the public and his fellow lawmakers for his comments linking Muslim immigration to the Christchurch mosque shooting, which killed 49 and wounded 42.
“While Muslims may be the victims today, usually they are the perpetrators,” Anning said. “Worldwide, Muslims are killing people in the name of their faith on an industrial scale.”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison later denounced Anning’s statements and vowed to censure the Queensland senator once lawmakers were back in session.
“I would normally not want to give this any oxygen, but I want to absolutely and completely denounce the statements made by Senator Anning … on this horrendous terrorist attack, with issues of immigration, in his attack on Islamic faith specifically,” Morrison said, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.