A man has been charged over a fight that broke out on the sidelines of a Fraser Anning press conference, where the controversial senator again called for a ban on Muslim immigration.
The 19-year-old is accused of striking at a News Corp Australia photographer, ripping his t-shirt and knocking his camera equipment to the ground during the confrontation in Cronulla, in Sydney's south, on Friday.
Police allege the photographer tried to intervene after the man made "intimidatory comments" to a female journalist when he was assaulted.
Senator Anning was there to announce the Conservative National Party candidate for the prime minister's seat of Cook and part of his NSW ticket for the Senate.
During the press conference, the 69-year-old reiterated his call for a ban on "bringing any more Muslims or Sudanese into the country".
He was pressed by journalists over his claims that locals were being "bashed and attacked" by immigrants.
"You live in a make-believe world," one of the senator's supporters yelled at journalist Eliza Barr as she asked whether locals would back CNP candidate Peter Kelly given they'd lived through the 2005 Cronulla race riots.
After the event, a 19-year-old man allegedly levelled sexist and abusive comments at Barr.
News photographer Dylan Robinson followed him and attempted to take his photo before the young man pushed the camera away and tried to hit Robinson in the face several times.
The photographer's shirt was torn before the pair was separated.
Senator Anning was on the opposite side of the park and said he did not see the incident.
"I wasn't there, so I don't know what went down or what led up to it," he later told reporters in Brisbane.
"I don't know if he's a supporter or not. People do silly things from all walks of life and I don't advocate any violence."
Officers were quickly on the scene and arrested the man. He was later charged with common assault, intimidation and behaving in an offensive manner.
He was released on bail to appear at Sutherland Local Court on May 16.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there was "no place in Australian politics" for such violence.
"I find it absolutely appalling," the Liberal leader said, noting his party was preferencing the CNP last at the May 18 federal election.
"People should be able to go to work, whether you're a photographer or anyone else, and not be subjected to that sort of violence."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also condemned the violence and had contacted the journalist involved.
"There is no place in our country for this radical extremist violent ideology," he told AAP.
In a statement, News Corp Australia said: "The safety of our staff, and their ability to report on news events unhindered, is of utmost importance to us and is a fundamental right for all journalists."
The media union described it as "unacceptable" for journalists to be physically threatened or assaulted in the course of doing their job.
In March, a teenager cracked an egg on Senator Anning's head at a media event in Melbourne, after the Queenslander blamed Muslim migrants for the New Zealand terror attack in which a white supremacist killed 50 worshippers at two mosques.
One of Senator Anning's supporters was subsequently charged after allegedly kicking the teen - who became known as "egg boy" - while he was held on the ground.
Australian Associated Press
