Murdoch hit with apparent foam pie at hearing

LONDON - A protester carrying a grudge and an apparent foam pie rushed Rupert Murdoch as he gave testimony to British lawmakers, striking the media baron in the face, causing a scuffle and temporarily suspending the hearing.

A man rushed up behind Murdoch carrying a plate of foam, likely a shaving cream pie, and hit Murdoch before wife Wendi Deng jumped up to defend her husband and strike the assailant.

Pictures: Wendi Deng
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According to CNN producer John Walls, who was in the hearing room, the suspect called Murdoch a "greedy billionaire" during the incident.

Following the attack, police in the back of the committee room held the suspect in handcuffs with white foam covering his face and shirt.

The Guardian reported that the suspect was British comedian Jonathan May-Bowles, who also goes by the name of "Jonnie Marbles," from protest group UK Uncut. Minutes before the incident, Marbles tweeted: "It is a far better thing that I do now than I have ever done before #splat."

As he was being escorted out by police, May-Bowles told reporters: "I'm sure that Murdoch would appreciate the irony that I cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation."

An organizer from UK Uncut said about the incident, as reported by The Guardian: "This was a lone-wolf, solitary action. None of us knew anything about this. This has got nothing to do with UK Uncut."

"He's very committed politically," a UK Uncut activist said about May-Bowles. "I know him from working on a variety of different political causes. He was angry about the whole Murdoch thing, how we've got a very powerful elite in this country."

The hearing resumed shortly after, but the room was cleared of spectators. Murdoch reappeared without his suit jacket, which was splattered with foam.