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Man charged over allegedly head-butting Tony Abbott 'Nothing to do with marriage equality': alleged Tony Abbott attacker speaks out
(about 1 hour later)
A man has been charged with assaulting Tony Abbott after allegedly head-butting the former prime minister in Tasmania. The man charged with assaulting Tony Abbott has denied the alleged attack had anything to do with the same-sex marriage postal vote.
A 38-year-old man has been charged following the alleged incident on Hobart’s waterfront on Thursday afternoon, according to a statement from police. Abbott said he was head-butted by a man wearing a “yes” badge for the same-sex marriage postal vote. Hobart DJ Astro “Funknukl” Labe, 38, was charged with one count of common assault on Friday over an alleged attack on the Hobart waterfront on Thursday afternoon.
The man was charged with one count of common assault after a police investigation into a complaint made by Abbott. Labe was wearing a rainbow “yes” badge when he allegedly asked Abbott to shake his hand before attempting to head-butt him on Morrison Street about 4.35pm.
The man was granted conditional bail to appear in the Hobart magistrates court at 9.30am on 23 October. On Friday, he told the ABC: “I must state in no uncertain terms that this has nothing whatsoever to do with marriage equality.”
Tasmania police said they will make no further comment in relation to the matter. Speaking to News Corp, he went further and said he had been out drinking and had been spurred on to act simply out of dislike for Abbott rather than over marriage equality.
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has labelled the incident “disgraceful”. “It was nothing really remotely to do with that. It’s just about Tony Abbott — the fucking worm that he is,” he told News.com.au.
“All it was is I saw Tony Abbott and I’d had half a skinful and I wanted to nut the cunt.
“I want to divorce myself [from the same-sex marriage issue] — not because I disagree with their stance — but this was nothing to do with that. That’s just my personal hatred.”
Labe was released on bail to appear in the Hobart magistrates court at 9.30am on 23 October.
There was confusion on Friday over whether the alleged attacker had indicated to Abbott that he was angry about the former prime minister’s strong stance against same-sex marriage.
Abbott told Sky News the man who allegedly attacked him told him “you deserve it because of what you have been saying”.
He linked the attack to what he described as “a lot of bullying in the campaign” by those advocating a “yes” vote.
“I think pretty clearly this bloke wanted to make his contribution to the current debate and instead of doing it respectfully he did it through a little bit of politically motivated violence, or attempted violence,” Abbott said.
But the network quoted an advisor to Abbott saying the attacker had not specifically mentioned same-sex marriage.
Australian Marriage Equality campaigners spent Friday strongly condemning the alleged attack and denouncing political violence.
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, labelled the incident “disgraceful”.
The Tasmanian senator Eric Abetz claimed that the alleged incident is a “harbinger” of more violence, despite conceding it is not indicative of the yes campaign generally.The Tasmanian senator Eric Abetz claimed that the alleged incident is a “harbinger” of more violence, despite conceding it is not indicative of the yes campaign generally.
Marriage equality supporters have been quick to condemn the incident and denounce political violence but opponents have used it to rally against same-sex marriage.
Turnbull said Australia had a tradition of respectful political debate “sometimes with strong views expressed, but without violence”.Turnbull said Australia had a tradition of respectful political debate “sometimes with strong views expressed, but without violence”.
“This is one of a number, a relatively small number of incidents, but any one is one too many.”“This is one of a number, a relatively small number of incidents, but any one is one too many.”
Turnbull said “of course” the incident did not undermine the yes case generally, but campaigners should recognise that if they used violent or abusive language or engaged in “violent conduct”, they were not helping their case.Turnbull said “of course” the incident did not undermine the yes case generally, but campaigners should recognise that if they used violent or abusive language or engaged in “violent conduct”, they were not helping their case.