CANBERRA, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The man who on Thursday headbutted former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied his actions were motivated by Abbott's conservative stance on same-sex marriage, declaring he is simply an "anarchist" who "believes in human rights."
On Thursday, the former prime minister was making his way back to a car after attending a function in the Tasmanian city of Hobart when Astro Labe, 38, approached him asking to shake his hand. Labe instead headbutted the former Liberal Party leader before fleeing the scene.
After the incident, Abbott said the incident was "politically-motivated violence" in relation to the current same-sex marriage debate, but in comments published on Saturday's newspapers, Labe denied that was the case.
"I hate Tony Abbott. It has absolutely nothing to do with marriage equality and nothing to do with the 'yes' campaign. That was just coincidental that I had a (same-sex marriage) sticker on my jacket," Labe told reporters in Hobart.
"I was thinking there's Tony Abbott, I'm going to headbutt him. I'm an anarchist and I believe in human rights."
On Friday, Labe was charged with common assault against the former prime minister, who used the incident to illustrate what he calls the "ugliness" of the "yes" campaign.
Abbott has long believed that marriage should be between a man and a woman, and that same-sex marriage should not be legal in Australia.
"If you don't want to be pushed around by activists, vote 'no'," Abbott said at a press conference on Friday.
In the wake of the stunning attack, political supporters of same-sex marriage in Canberra have also been quick to distance themselves from Labe's conduct; Attorney-General George Brandis said that "this man had absolutely nothing to do with those who advocate the 'yes' case."
Australians are currently undertaking a postal plebiscite, whereby they are voting in a non-binding survey to determine whether same-sex marriage should be legal.
