We all have our reasons
Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 12:44 am
The man who headbutted former prime minister Tony Abbott has declared it had "nothing to do" with same-sex marriage but was about his lifelong ambition to headbutt "a fascist".
Astro Labe, a 38-year-old DJ, barista and anarchist from North Hobart, told Fairfax Media he was not motivated by the marriage equality debate despite wearing a "yes" badge at the time of the attack.
"It was nothing to do with the 'yes' campaign, that was just a sticker that a friend stuck on me," he said.
"[It] was just a lifelong ambition to headbutt a fascist because I'm a skinhead that likes ska music and hates fascism. He's an evil c---, I'm an anarchist and I believe in human rights."
Mr Abbott used the assault on Friday to condemn the "ugliness" of some same-sex marriage supporters in the campaign and declared: "If you don't want to be pushed around by activists, vote 'no'."
But he conceded the offender had not specifically raised the topic of same-sex marriage during the altercation or the expletive-laden rant that followed.
Mr Labe was charged with one count of common assault and received conditional bail to appear at Hobart Magistrates Court on October 23. Fairfax Media sighted his court documents at the Republic Bar and Cafe on Friday evening as he conducted a series of media interviews.
