Pro-LGBT Qantas Boss Pressed Assault Charges Against Devout Christian Who Smashed Pie Onto His Face
The elderly man who pushed a pie into the face of Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce was charged with common assault, trespassing, and damage. The perpetrator said he did it to protest "corporate bullying" as manifested in the executive's promotion of gay marriage using the airline as a platform.
Joyce was addressing an audience of 500 at a business breakfast Tuesday when 67-year-old Tony Overheu went up to him and smashed a lemon meringue pie on his face. The devout Christian said his action was a stance against "corporate bullying aimed at social engineering" to change the marriage law.
Joyce, a staunch supporter of marriage equality, drew flak for using his company as a vehicle to push his personal agenda. One of his critics is immigration minister Peter Dutton who advised him and other business leaders to keep out of the debate on same sex-marriage and "stick to their knitting."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Overheu explained he was frustrated with "green left corporate" individuals overstepping their line and undermining democracy by pushing for same-sex marriage without holding a plebiscite. "Alan Joyce is paid $13 million to run airlines, not bulldoze Australia socially against its will," he said.
Overheu added that he didn't harbor any ill-feeling towards the CEO, saying his target could have been anyone influential who was lobbying for same-sex marriage. "It didn't have to be Alan Joyce, it just happened to be," said the senior member of Church of Christ and Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship.
When he learned that the CEO will be at Hyatt Regency in Perth, he went to the hotel's auditorium at around 6:15 a.m. and waited for the program to start. When Joyce came up to the podium after two hours, Overheu emerged from his hiding place, strolled up casually in front and smashed the pie he was holding on the speaker's face.
Overheu's wife was angered by his un-Christian behavior while one of his daughters took to social media expressing her support for marriage equality but also saying "I love my idiot dad." He apologized to Joyce afterward, but it did not deter the CEO from pressing charges.
