Senator Fraser Anning egged at far-right event, faces censure motion over Muslim comments

Senator Fraser Anning filmed punching a boy in the face at far-right event, as PM warns of a censure motion over his Muslim remarks.

Senator Fraser Anning is egged while giving a press conference at a Melbourne function. Picture: Facebook

Independent Senator Fraser Anning has been filmed punching a 17-year-old boy in the face in response to being pelted with an egg at a far-right speaking event in Melbourne.

Senator Anning was fronting the media outside the function in Moorabbin when he was approached from behind by the teen, who smashed an egg on his head.

Footage shows Senator Anning lashing out in response, punching the boy in the face before the teen was grabbed around the neck and tackled to the ground by other men standing by.

WATCH: This is the moment Senator Fraser Anning was egged by a teenage boy during a press conference in Melbourne. #9News pic.twitter.com/oePwz3pPH2

— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) March 16, 2019

The 17-year-old was arrested but released pending further inquiries by police.

Senator Anning is facing a parliamentary censure over remarks he made linking Muslim immigration with violence in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks on Friday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today condemned the comments, saying they were “appalling and they’re ugly and they have no place in Australia”.

Mr Morrison announced the government would censure the Queensland independent, after he and Foreign Minister Marise Payne joined the congregation at Lakemba Mosque for prayers on Saturday.

Mr Morrison said there had been discussions between Senators Mathias Cormann and Penny Wong about a bipartisan motion when parliament returns in April.

“These comments are appalling and they’re ugly and they have no place in Australia,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“In the Australian Parliament also. And he should be, frankly, ashamed of himself.” Opposition leader Bill Shorten voiced his anger at Mr Anning, saying he was “chasing a headline”.

“I do wonder if he’s made Australians less safe overseas,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

“That’s another reason not to give this fool any more oxygen.” Labor frontbencher Tony Burke described Senator Anning’s comments as “hate speech”, and told the ABC “the normalisation of bigotry is something that is not only confined to him”.

“We need to call it out, we need to make sure that no way any member of parliament fosters it. He wants the conflict and he wants the notoriety,” he said.

Bilal Rauf from the Australian National Imams Council said Mr Anning’s statement “may as well have been an extract from the manifesto of the person that perpetrated these heinous crimes”.

“While they may be words, words create a certain environment, they embolden certain people, they give them a platform or a sense of confidence that they can do certain things,” he said.

“I hope there is a real question as to his position as a federal parliamentarian given the privileges and the responsibilities which are attached to that.” A change.org petition calling for Mr Anning’s expulsion from parliament has amassed about 250,000 signatures.

“We call on the Australian government to expel this man who blames victims for their own violent deaths, and uses references to genocide to further his hateful agenda.”

AAP