Teenager eggs politician who blamed Christchurch mosque shooting on muslims

Controversial conservative politician Fraser Anning, who infamously blamed Muslim immigration for causing the Christchurch mosque attack in which 49 people lost their lives, has punched a 17-year-old boy after the teenager egged at an event in Melbourne. Anning was speaking to a gathered crowd, when the adolescent approached him and cracked an egg on his head. A brief scuffle ensued, in which Anning resorted to blows, and the boy (whose identity has not been revealed) was arrested before being released without charge pending investigation.

On social media, many people applauded the act of protest against Anning. For example, a Twitter-user with the handle @kashmiribby wrote: "This young man just egged Senator Fraser Anning. Someone please find his name, he deserves an award." Meanwhile, someone called @Mona1love added jokingly "Senator Fraser Anning went on to say that, as a victim of egging, he thoroughly deserved it, as victims bring it on themselves."

Senator Anning's comments have been widely condemned by the public at large and by other politicians after he tweeted: "Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence?" The Queensland senator went on to state: "As always, left-wing politicians and the media will rush to claim that the causes of today's shootings lie with gun laws or those who hold nationalist views but this is all cliched nonsense. 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."

Responding to these comments, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, stated: "I would normally not want to give this any oxygen, but I want to absolutely and completely denounce the statements made by Senator Anning ...  in his attack on Islamic faith specifically. These comments are appalling and they're ugly, and they have no place in Australia ... let alone the Australian Parliament. He should be, frankly, ashamed of himself."

Meanwhile, former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull wrote: "Fraser Anning's comments today are contemptible. He is a disgrace to the Senate and what is worse by spreading hatred and turning Australians against each other he is doing exactly what the terrorists want."

An online petition has already been set up, which aims to have senator Anning removed from office as a result of his Islamaphobic comments. The petition's official page states: "Senator Fraser Anning has no place in the government of our democratic and multicultural country. We request that he be expelled from his position as Senator, and investigated by law enforcement agencies for supporting right-wing terrorism."

"On the 15th of March, 49 innocent people were slaughtered in their place of worship. Fraser Anning, under the banner of Senator, made multiple offensive statements about this attack." The petition has currently received over 344,000 signatures.