Fraser Anning responds to criticism over egg boy attack

Fraser Anning says the more than one million signatories on a petition to have him thrown out of Parliament were “entitled to their opinion”.

Senator Fraser Anning has been widely criticised for posting an anti-muslim statement in regards to the New Zealand mosque attacks. Picture: AAP

Senator Fraser Anning has said the more than one million signatories on a petition to have him thrown out of Parliament were “entitled to their opinion” but he had been told by “lots and lots” of people that they wanted him to stay.

The controversial political figure said had been defending himself when he threw two punches at a man who hit him in the head with an egg on Saturday.

“If you’re attacked, you defend yourself,” he said.

“He got a slap across the face, which is what his mother should have given him long ago, because he’s been misbehaving badly.”

Mr Anning, a former One Nation and Katter’s Australian Party senator who now sits as an independent, told media in Brisbane that he did not regret the statement he released following the Christchurch terrorist attack.

He believed his comments had been “turned around” and “taken out of context” by the media.

Mr Anning said his assertion that countries with large scale Muslim immigration faced more terrorist attacks was a “fact”.

“I don’t think it can be called hateful speech if I state a fact,” he said.

“When you bring lots and lots of Muslims into a country, violence escalates and terrorist attacks escalate.

“The Muslim influence in the country escalates violence.”

Mr Anning turned his attention to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, saying the government was funding Palestinian terrorist groups.

He said Mr Morrison and media had been ignorant of the “daily” terrorist attacks around the world and that the Australian people, not elected politicians, should decide who immigrated in Australia.

“We only have to look at the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and Germany — these countries are under attack the whole time by Muslim extremists,” Mr Anning said.

“What I’m saying is we should be stopping Muslim immigration in this country.”

Mr Anning said he attended a gun show in Queensland on Sunday because he was a “shooter” and had already accepted an invitation to it.

“People can be inflamed if they like, it’s entirely up to them,” he said.

“I’m happy to go to the things that I accept and that was one of them.

“I don’t usually back away from things that I’m happy to do.”

Asked whether he had read the Christchurch attacker’s manifesto, and whether he agreed with the views expressed in it, Mr Anning said: “No I don’t agree with any lunatic views, killer’s views, I would never agree with any of those”.

Senator Anning’s response comes as One Nation leader Pauline Hanson announced she would not support a censure motion against her former colleague.

The Greens will push for “extraordinary” action to be taken against Senator Anning, including legislative change to expel him from federal parliament, as pressure mounts on the Queensland senator over his divisive comments blaming Muslims for the Christchurch terrorist attack.

The government and Labor will move a censure motion against Senator Anning when parliament resumes on April 1 condemning his “inflammatory and divisive comments seeking to attribute blame to victims of a horrific crime and to vilify people on the basis of religion”.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said Senator Anning could face racial vilification charges, as well as assault charges for hitting a 17-year-old protester on Saturday.

“In relation to the Victorian investigation, that will be in relation to the incident with Senator Anning and the young man, so that’s separate,” he told ABC radio.