Australian PM egged while campaigning, woman detained

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was on Tuesday hit by an egg while campaigning for this month's general elections, prompting the police to detain a 25-year-old woman accused of carrying out the act.

Morrison was on a campaign trail and was at a Country Women's Association event in Albury in New South Wales when the accused threw an egg at his head, which did not break and bounced off, CNN reported.

Following the act, the alleged egg tosser attempted to escape, but authorities quickly restrained the woman. In the process, another woman was knocked over but did not injure herself.

A video, which went viral on social media, shows Morrison interacting with a group of women when he was struck with an egg from behind.

 

The Australian Prime Minister flinched while looking around bewildered as the accused woman tried to move away, only to be overpowered by the authorities.

An old woman, who fell down, after the authorities sprung to catch the accused, was helped by Morrison and others.

New South Wales police later confirmed that the woman was sent to custody and is being interrogated.

"The egg appears to have struck the Prime Minister on the head. The Prime Minister's security team quickly restrained the woman. In the act of detaining her, another woman in attendance was knocked over. No injuries have been reported," the police said in a statement.

This is not the first time that an Australian politician was attacked by an egg-wielding agitator.

In March, a teenager smashed a raw egg on the back side of Queensland Senator Fraser Anning's head, which infuriated him. A viral video on social media showed the lawmaker landing blows on the boy's face and was taking another swing before the two were separated.

The incident took place after Anning had linked the deadly March 15 terror attacks at two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch city with "immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place."

Several politicians in Australia and abroad criticised Anning for making such statements.

Australia will hold a general election on May 18. Morrison has been the country's Prime Minister since August last year.