A crowdfunding page set up to help the Australian teenager who smashed a racist senator in the head with an egg has raised nearly $30,000 (Dh110,200) to help with his legal fees and to buy him “more eggs”.
Independent Australian Senator Fraser Anning attracted widespread criticism for appearing to blame Friday’s white supremacist attack on two Christchurch mosques, which left at least 50 people dead, on Muslim immigration to New Zealand.
The teenager, named Will Connolly, 17, was filmed smashing an egg on the head of Mr Anning. The Senator proceeded to turn around and punch the boy in the face on two occasions, before five or six of his male associates tackled the teenager to the ground, kneeing and elbowing him while he lay restrained on the floor.
"Our hero EggBoi takes on Fraser Anning, the senator for Queensland that is now despised around the world for comments made after the shooting at a New Zealand mosque," the page reads.
“Money raised will go to EggBoi for: Legal fees. More eggs,” it continues.
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The initial aim of the platform was to reach $2,000 in funding.
The owner of the page said that he had spoken to EggBoi and he had pledged to give the majority of the money to victims of the Christchurch attack.
A petition to have Mr Anning removed from parliament has attracted about a million signatures.
“Senator Fraser Anning’s views have no place in the government of our democratic and multicultural country,” the petition says. “Within the bounds of Australian law, we request that he be pushed to resign from his position as Senator, and if appropriate, be investigated by law enforcement agencies for supporting right wing terrorism.”
He has also been condemned by leaders in Australia and New Zealand, who appear to have sided with the egg thrower.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday suggested that Mr Anning should be charged.
Mr Morrison said: "The full force of the law should be applied to Sen Anning."
"The incident is being actively investigated by Victoria Police in its entirety," a police statement said, including Mr Anning's actions.
Mr Anning has now been assigned a federal police security detail, a precaution usually reserved for the prime minister.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for the first time on Sunday joined the public condemnation of Mr Anning.
Asked by a journalist what she thought of Mr Anning's comments, she replied: "They're a disgrace."
