An alleged attack on a One Nation supporter is not believed to have been politically motivated, Victoria police say, clarifying that a “blunt weapon” was allegedly used rather than a baseball bat as originally reported.
On Tuesday, police confirmed they arrested a ۳۷-year-old Hampton Park man and a ۱۴-year-old boy over the alleged attack on a ۶۰-year-old man outside his Torquay home on Sunday night.
“It is believed they allegedly assaulted the man with a baseball bat before being arrested by attending units a short time later,” police said on Tuesday.
But on Wednesday, police had removed references to the baseball bat from their statement and instead alleged a “blunt weapon” was used.
“Detectives are not treating the incident as politically motivated,” a spokesperson said.
Leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the alleged attack, with One Nation’s federal leader, Pauline Hanson, visiting the alleged victim in Geelong hospital on Tuesday and the party launching an online fundraiser, which was later shared on X by Elon Musk. As of ۱pm Wednesday, it had raised more than $۲۵۰,۰۰۰.
One Nation said on Wednesday it would not comment.
On Tuesday, Hanson alleged the victim had been “kicked [so] badly he lost consciousness”. He was left “bleeding from basically every orifice in his face”, as well as bleeding in the brain, she told reporters outside the hospital on Tuesday.
“It was a vicious attack. It wasn’t just a punch,” Hanson alleged. “Even now, with the bleed, it still could be life-threatening.”
The party’s Victorian leader, Warren Pickering, said on Tuesday the victim was a volunteer and alleged the incident began when the man and the boy “interfered with” the One Nation signs on his property.
“Political violence or intimidation of any kind against anyone is unacceptable in this country,” Pickering said.
after newsletter promotion
“If you don’t like someone’s politics, you vote accordingly. You don’t [allegedly] assault them.”
Speaking on ABC Radio Melbourne on Wednesday morning, the Victorian premier, Ben Carroll reiterated his condemnation of the alleged attack, describing it as “abhorrent” and “disgusting”.
“This man putting up corflutes is entitled to do that. Every Victorian, no matter whether they’re wearing an orange, blue, red – or green for that matter – T-shirt, is entitled to put their case forward in a civil matter, in a civil way,” Carroll said.
