icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
18 Sep, 2020 15:54

Irish deputy PM ATTACKED with beverage in park (VIDEOS)

Irish deputy PM ATTACKED with beverage in park (VIDEOS)

Irish Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar had a TV spot ruined when a skateboard-toting woman approached and chucked what looked like a cup of coffee in his face, before fleeing the scene.

In footage that circulated on social media on Friday, Varadkar could be seen recording a piece to camera in Dublin's Merrion Square. A woman spoke briefly to the TV crew, approached Varadkar, and then threw what appeared to be a cup of coffee or tea into his face, drenching the Tanaiste’s crisp suit.

As a startled Varadkar shook off the liquid, the masked miscreant fled on foot.

Varadkar served as Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister) until June, stepping into the number two role after his party, Fine Gael, formed a coalition government with Fianna Fail and the Green Party following a tight election in February. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin replaced Varadkar as Taoiseach after the parties agreed a rotating-leadership system.

The Fine Gael leader left office a popular leader, enjoying an approval rating of 75 percent in June. However, Varadkar's alliance with Martin was a sticking point for many supporters, and Fianna Fail has since cratered in popularity, scoring only 10 percent approval in a recent poll.

The motive behind Friday’s beverage ambush is unknown. Varadkar himself joked in a press conference that he "thought it was Avril Lavigne at first when I saw this girl approaching with a skateboard and a smoothie." The Tanaiste added that he would speak to police next week, but doesn't believe that he needs a security detail.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Podcasts
0:00
23:13
0:00
25:0