Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons, an Australia native, expressed his support for Will Connolly, better known now as “Egg Boy,” by writing the teenager's new moniker on his sneakers before a game against the Charlotte Hornets. Connolly, broke an egg on the head of far-right Australian Senator, Fraser Anning, after Anning implied that Muslim immigration to New Zealand, not racism, caused attacks on two mosques Christchurch that left 50 people dead.
The next day, a Twitter user asked Simmons if he'd, “be fine with someone attacking your dad from behind just because he didn't like his opinion?”
Simmons, undaunted, replied, “If my dad was to say something that dumb 100%”
If my dad was to say something that dumb 100%
— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) March 20, 2019
Anning, a long-time member of the far-right nationalist “One Nation Party”, has repeatedly used his platform to decry Muslim immigration.
“Egg Boy” has been lambasted by some conservatives in his country, as well as in America for what they decry as a lack of civility. However, Connolly and Simmons would likely agree that releasing a statement saying, “the real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place.” Following the murder of 50 people who were peacefully worshiping, would be a bigger violation of civility and breaking an egg against a man's head.
Simmons had chimed to support Connolly previously, by calling the seventeen-year-old an “Australian legend,” on Instagram.
A GoFundMe page has raised over $20,000 to help Connolly pay any legal fees he may face. However, “Egg Boy” has instead requested that all the money raised instead go to Muslim charities.
In addition to supporting Connolly, Simmons wrote “Pray for NZ” on his shoes two games before and afterward told reporters, “I mean it's just sick to me,” he said. “That's all I really have. It's devastating. It's sad for those families.”
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