The News Corp Australia commentator Andrew Bolt has been attacked with glitter and shaving cream outside a Melbourne book launch by two men he has described as leftwing fascists.
Bolt has posted photos of the men on his Herald Sun blog, saying they “jumped” him after a woman asked for a selfie and he kicked one of them between the legs.
“Watch the fascist left attack me and get clobbered,” he posted. “Luckily the cameras do not capture me kicking one between the legs. I cannot have my children see me acting like a thug.”
He has urged anyone who recognises the pair to contact police.
The men attacked the Sky News host and News Corp Australia columnist before he launched Steve Kates’ book on Donald Trump at an Italian restaurant in Lygon Street at 12.15pm on Tuesday.
Bolt told Sky News he had been approached by a woman who wanted a selfie when he was “jumped”.
“Two masked protesters then jumped me, spraying me in the face and all over my suit with some sticky liquid with some glitter and dye,’ he said, adding: “Bad luck for them of course, I don’t do running and hiding.
“Police are looking for a young man with a bruise on the left side of his face and a bruise between his legs, for which I apologise I guess, but I don’t really fight nice if I’m pushed too far.”
Bolt said the two attackers had a cameraman with them who stayed outside the restaurant after the attack.
Bolt said the encounter was “another warning of the rising violence of the left”. He complained about news coverage in a blogpost at 6am on Wednesday, criticising the Age for using the word “allegedly” and calling the Daily Mail leftwing.
“If three Australian Patriots had attacked an ABC presenter in the street, that would be in every news bulletin, right?” he said.
He said the Daily Mail report implied he had deserved the attack and was a hypocrite.
Victoria police say the two men were wearing hooded jumpers and were believed to have thrown shaving cream and glitter.
