Turkish minister hit in face with egg thrown by student

İZMİR - Doğan News Agency (DHA)

Bağış's eye and cheek was bruised after the egg hit his face. DHA photo

Turkey's EU Minister Egemen Bağış was hit in his face with an egg hurled by a protesting student in the Aegean province of İzmir yesterday.
 
The incident took place at the Aegean University where Bağış was attending the unveiling of a sculpture.
 
Bağış was listening to a speaker when two students started shouting "AKP [ruling Justice and Development Party] get out of our university," and hurled eggs at the minister. Bağış's bodyguards opened umbrellas to protect the minister but an egg hit Bağış under his right eye, causing his cheek and eye to redden.
 
The protestors were taken away and detained by the police.
 
Bağış said he was not angry at the students, but pitied them, calling them "pawns of a pathetic mentality."
 
Sculpture collapsed
 
Bağış then unveiled the art piece called the "Burning Sculpture" by Danish artist Nina Hole, which was made of ceramic clay and was left to dry for three days with a wood fire burning underneath it.
 
The sculpture collapsed immediately after the removal of a supporting wrapper, shooting off sparks and sand in its immediate vicinity.
 
Bağış was surprised to see the sculpture fall apart, as artists said the art work collapsed due to ceramic clay not drying completely.