Australian lawmaker egged after blaming Muslims following attack on New Zealand mosques

A protester smashed an egg on the head of a right-wing Australian senator on Saturday after he said Muslims were the “real cause of bloodshed” following the New Zealand mosque shootings.

A protester slapped an egg on the back of Queensland Sen. Fraser Anning’s head during a news conference Saturday, Al Jazeera reported.

Anning was restrained by security officials during the confrontation after punching the protester, according to the outlet.

Someone has just slapped an egg on the back of Australian Senator Fraser Anning’s head, who immediately turned around and punched him in the face. @politicsabc @abcnews pic.twitter.com/HkDZe2rn0X

— Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) March 16, 2019

The confrontation came after Anning sparked international backlash for his comments about Islam following the massacre at two mosques in New Zealand. At least 49 people were killed and dozens injured in the attacks.

The primary suspect, a 28-year-old Australian man, has been charged with one count of murder in connection with the shootings but will likely face more charges.{mosads}

Anning wrote in a statement shortly after the attack that while he condemned the violence, the attacks highlighted “the growing fear within our community, both in Australia and New Zealand, of the increasing Muslim presence.”

“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,” Anning continued.

Anning, a far-right independent senator elected in 2017, said Muslims “may have been the victims today; usually they are the perpetrators.”

His derogatory comments were quickly condemned by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“Those views have no place in Australia, let alone the Australian Parliament,” Morrison wrote on Twitter.

Anning has been criticized in the past for his comments about immigration. 

He was widely condemned last year for calling for the “final solution” to end what he called an immigration problem in his country, invoking a Nazi euphemism for genocide.