Tony Abbott Claims Head-Butt by Australian Gay-Marriage Supporter<br />" he said, adding, "Any violence coming into our political life is absolutely to be condemned." He called for those on both sides to exercise "caution and restraint." Alex Greenwich, a New South Wales lawmaker who is a co-chairman of the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality, wrote on Twitter<br />that there was "absolutely no place" for violence in the debate over same-sex marriage. that This is a disgraceful incident, and I condemn this assault on Tony,<br />22, 2017<br />SYDNEY, Australia — The police in Tasmania have charged a man with assault after former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said in an interview<br />that a same-sex-marriage supporter had head-butted him Thursday in Hobart.<br />Mr. Abbott first described the encounter to 2GB a Sydney radio station: He had been meeting with a local newspaper<br />about his opposition to same-sex marriage, the subject of a nonbinding vote by mail now underway in Australia.<br />Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told 3AW, a Melbourne radio station, on Friday morning<br />that he had spoken to Mr. Abbott and to the federal police commissioner.<br />Bill Shorten, the Labor opposition leader and another supporter of same-sex marriage, also wrote on Twitter that the violence was unacceptable.<br />According to a statement from the Tasmania Police, the man, whose name was not released<br />but who was described as 38 and from North Hobart, was charged with one count of common assault and granted conditional bail.
