LAST UPDATE | 18 Sep 2020

A VIDEO SHARED on social media this afternoon shows a woman throwing a smoothie in the face of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar. 

The video, which has been shared on Twitter, shows a woman approaching the Tánaiste who appeared to be giving an interview on camera in Merrion Square in Dublin. 

The woman approaches the camera crew. She then walks towards the Tánaiste and throws a drink in his face. She then runs away. 

The incident has been reported as an assault and gardaí are investigating.

Varadkar was asked about the incident at a press conference this evening. 

He said that he was in Merrion Square to record a video that would be uploaded on his social media to explain the new Dublin restrictions.

The Tánaiste said the video was completed prior to the incident.

“When I saw her coming towards me I thought it was Avril Lavigne at first,” he said, referencing how the woman carrying a skateboard. 

He had a spare suit he was able to change into and, while he said he understood the gardaí wanted to speak to him about the incident, he hadn’t had a chance to do so yet.

In recent years, particularly in the UK, a new phenomenon has emerged where politicians and activists have had milkshakes thrown on them. 

The most notable instance was when Brexiteer Nigel Farage had a milkshake thrown at him while canvassing in Newcastle city centre in May last year. 

With reporting from Sean Murray