Senator Fraser Anning defends actions against ‘egg boy’
Under-fire Queensland Senator Fraser Anning has defended his actions against a teenager who threw an egg at him over the weekend, saying he was simply defending himself.
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CONTROVERSIAL Queensland Senator Fraser Anning has defended his actions against a teenager who threw an egg at him over the weekend, saying he was simply defending himself.
Senator Anning dismissed the police investigation into his actions slapping a 17-year-old boy who hit him with an egg at an event in Melbourne on Saturday, saying he was “defending” himself”. The teen, Will Connolly, was then wrestled to the ground by the Senator’s supporters and held in a headlock.
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“I don’t regret anything I do,” Senator Anning said today.
“I defended myself, that’s what Australians do usually, they defend themselves.
“He got a slap across the face which is what his mother should have given him long ago.”
The Queensland independent senator laughed off threats from Scott Morrison of potential police action, saying: “I hope it’s not too painful. What’s he going to do? Flog me with his lace hanky? I don’t know.”
He is now facing an unprecedented tide of public backlash that has taken the form of a Change.org petition calling for him to be removed from Parliament, which has amassed more than one million signatures.
It comes as leading Muslim group Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) has written to Senate president Scott Ryan to formally protest the words and actions of Senator Fraser Anning that have been making headlines around the world.
AFIC boss Dr Rateb Jneid wrote that at the time “when the blood of the victims had not had enough time to even dry” Anning had made a “repulsive and outrageous remark” that brought shame on parliament.
“Firstly, the Senator in effect blames the victims of this act of terror for their own death and suffering. This is completely unacceptable on any level from any individual let alone a member of the Senate. Secondly, what his words imply is that all Muslims are the underlying cause of the ills of western civilisation and in trying to excuse the acts of the terrorist in New Zealand he is in fact condoning such acts and, further, is giving encouragement to any like minded criminals in this country.
“Senator Anning, and his words of yesterday, bring shame to your House, the whole Parliament and must call in to question his fitness to be a member.”
He wrote on behalf of the Australian Muslim community he demanded the Senator be censured to the full extent of formal codes of conduct introduced to avert such “despicable behaviour”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has already intimated some form of formal action.
The online petition to remove the Senator from Parliament continues to rack up signatures, and is now the largest Australian online petition in history.
“Senator Fraser Anning’s views have no place in the government of our democratic and multicultural country,” the petition reads.
“Within the bounds of Australian law, we request that he be pushed to resign from his position as Senator, and if appropriate, be investigated by law enforcement agencies for supporting right wing terrorism.”
However, Mr Anning played the pressure down.
“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion,” he said.
“One million have signed, but a lot of people have told me they’re happy to stay where I’m at.
“I’ll let them decide at the ballot box, they can vote me out if they like.”
The petition points to his divisive comments following the Christchurch terrorist mass shooting on Friday.
“Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence?” Mr Anning tweeted shortly after 50 innocent Muslims were shot dead in their place of worship.
“The real cause of the bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place,” he said in a later statement.
The petition also took aim at Mr Anning’s infamous “Final Solution” comments in relation to Muslim immigration in his maiden speech to parliament, calling them a “direct reference to genocide during WWII”.
TAXPAYERS BILLED FOR FRASER ATTENDANCE
TAXPAYERS were billed for far right Queensland Senator Fraser Anning to attend an event in Melbourne on the weekend which he used to capitalise on the Christchurch attack.
Senator Anning said “of course they did” when asked if taxpayers paid for him to travel to the event.
The controversial Senator has previously billed taxpayers to attend an anti-immigration rally in Melbourne where protesters gave Nazi salutes.
He also defended attending a gun event in Ipswich yesterday after the massacre in New Zealand.
“I’m a shooter,” he said.
“I’m happy to go to invitations that I accept.”
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