Tony Abbott headbutt attacker to face court on charge of common assault

A TATTOOED and spiky-haired DJ called Astro Labe has admitted attacking Tony Abbott and giving him a “fat lip” while wearing a same-sex marriage sticker.

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A TATTOOED DJ called Astro Labe has admitted attacking Tony Abbott and giving him a “fat lip” while wearing a same-sex marriage sticker.

Labe, 38, who was yesterday charged with common assault and will face Hobart Magistrates court next month, claims the former Prime Minister got off lightly and is “lucky” that he’s not violent.

“I was like ‘Tony, Tony’, I kind of trotted up behind him. I trotted up behind him, ‘I just want to shake your hand and just went bang. Kind of missed it. Gave him a fat lip,” he said.

“He got off pretty lightly. He’s just lucky I’m not a violent c**t.”

Astro Labe, 38, of North Hobart, is accused of assaulting former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

Labe has earrings on his lip and in between his eyes and has posted photographs of himself on social media with a spider on his face, a long white worm or thin snake on his head and a large tattoo across his body.

After the attack, Labe, who describes himself as an anarchist, said he returned to the pub where he downed shots of scotch.

Admitting to the attack on Mr Abbott, Labe said he was motivated by his long-standing dislike of the former Prime Minister, not his support for same-sex marriage.

He said he had not intended to cause embarrassment to the same-sex marriage cause, which he backs.

He said he would apologise for his actions when he appeared in court, but his opinions had not changed.

“It was nothing really remotely to do with that. It’s just about Tony Abbott, the f***king worm that he is,” he said.

“All it was is I saw Tony Abbott and I’d had half a skinful and I wanted to nut the c**t.

“I want to divorce myself (from gay marriage), not because I disagree with their stance, but this was nothing to do with that. That’s just my personal hatred.”

Labe admitted he had a same-sex sticker on his jacket, but claims that was a coincidence.

“It was purely because a friend of mine had walked past handing them out and had stuck one on my jacket,’ he said.

Tony Abbott walks a Hobart street before the attack. Picture: Sky News

Tony Abbott speaks to media outside the Henry Jones Hotel on Hobart's waterfront to discuss the assault. Picture: Luke Bowden

He said he had been drinking at a Hobart waterfront hotel when he had seen Mr Abbott walk past. His version of what followed was almost identical to Mr Abbott’s.

The barista and bartender says he returned to the pub and had a couple of shots of scotch.

He said he would apologise for his actions when he appeared in court, but his opinions had not changed.

“I’m an anarchist, he’s an evil c**t,” he said.

Turnbull Government ministers claim Labe had nothing to do with the campaign to introduce same-sex marriage.

“This was a violent criminal act. Nothing whatsoever to do with the point of view with those of us who favour a Yes vote in the postal survey,” Attorney-General George Brandis said.

Astro Labe at work as a DJ.

A Facebook image of Astro Labe.

Mr Abbott was yesterday reeling from the unexpected violence, but said he was tough enough to cope with it.

“I’ve been on enough football fields and boxing rings but nevertheless it is a bit of shock when a handshake turns into a headbutt,” he told The Daily Telgraph.

The Warringah MP said: “It just shows the thinking of a lot of the people on the same-sex marriage side. There is an intolerance. There is a bullying and there is almost a violent tinge to it,” he said.

“I think the public need to think long and hard about what is really happening here because while the vast majority of people support same-sex marriage just want to be decent and polite to their gay friends and family, there is a hard-core of activists with a big agenda for social change and social engineering and they will be rampant if same-sex marriage gets up.”