Murdoch attacked during British parliamentary hearing (Lead)
July 19th, 2011 - 11:49 pm ICT by IANSLondon, July 19 (IANS) An unidentified man tried to attack News Corporation chief Rupert Murdoch during a parliamentary committee hearing Tuesday on the phone hacking scandal, forcing a 10-minute halt of the proceedings.
A Twitter posting by a Labour MP said a protester threw a “foam pie” at the 80-year-old media magnate, whose security men were stunned by the sudden attack.
However, Murdoch’s wife Wendy Deng, who was sitting behind him, was quicker in her reaction and seemed to have “landed a right hook” on the attacker.
According to BBC, Murdoch was apparently hit in the face with a plate of shaving foam by a man shouting: “Greedy.”
Labour MP Tom Harris tweeted: “And once again a Gap Year Anarchist succeeds in his lifetime’s ambition: to get all the attention. Well done. *slow hand clap* ”
A man with white substance - possibly paint - on his face was taken away by police following the incident.
The sitting, suspended for 10 minutes, resumed after the disturbance.
Earlier during the hearing, Rupert Murdoch said his appearance before MPs to answer questions over the phone-hacking episode was the “most humble day of his life”.
This was the first time in his 40-year media career in Britain that Murdoch faced personal scrutiny by MPs.
His son James said hacking by the News of the World was a “matter of great regret”. He said his firm failed to live to “the standards we aspired to”.
Opening the hearing, committee chair John Whittingdale said abuses had been uncovered “which had shocked and angered the country” and it was clear parliament had been misled, BBC reported.
- Man attacks Rupert Murdoch during hearing - Jul 20, 2011
- 'Humbled' Murdoch denies responsibility for phone hacking (Lead) - Jul 20, 2011
- Murdoch attacked in British parliament - Jul 19, 2011
- Wendi wins Chinese bloggers' hearts, fending Murdoch - Jul 20, 2011
- Murdoch says he's humbled by MPs' probe - Jul 19, 2011
- Wendi Deng jumps to Rupert's defense when he was attacked with a foam pie - Jul 20, 2011
- British MPs to get beefed up security after foam-fiasco - Oct 18, 2011
- Comedian who attacked Murdoch jailed for six weeks - Aug 03, 2011
- Cameron says hacking probe to be widened, regrets hiring Coulson (Second Lead) - Jul 20, 2011
- Rupert Murdoch to appear in court - Jul 19, 2011
- Murdoch's wife becomes internet sensation - Jul 20, 2011
- Every fifth London police PR person worked for Murdoch - Jul 20, 2011
- Rupert Murdoch's son faces MPs over phone hacking - Nov 10, 2011
- James Murdoch quits boards of Sun, Times - Nov 23, 2011
- Rebekah Brooks terms phone hacking 'abhorrent' (Lead) - Jul 20, 2011
Tags: gap year, hand clap, hearing committee, labour mp, magnate, media career, news corporation, news of the world, parliamentary committee, phone hacking, right hook, rupert murdoch, security men, shaving foam, sudden attack, tom harris, twitter, unidentified man, wendy deng, wife wendy