An Australian senator who blamed Muslim immigration for Friday’s mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, was egged by a 17-year-old, who he then struck in the head.
Videos shared online show far-right lawmaker Fraser Anning aiming at least two strikes at the youngster at an event in Melbourne. Anning’s supporters tackled the unidentified boy. The egger was reportedly detained by police and later released without charge, pending further inquiries.
Anning, who has a history of Islamophobia, sparked outrage Friday with a statement he released after the attack in which an alleged white supremacist gunman killed at least 49 people.
“The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place,” wrote Anning, to widespread revulsion.