Egging is the act of throwingeggs at people or property. The eggs are usually raw, but can be hard-boiled or rotten.
The egging ofpoliticians is a well-known form of protest, and egging cars or houses can be done as a form ofvandalism, with or without reason, but in some places egging is done for benign or celebratory reasons.
Eggs can easily cause damage when thrown atproperty, and egging is consideredvandalism. When thrown at cars, eggs can dent a body panel or scratch off paint where the shell breaks.Egg whites can damage certain types of vehicle and building paint. Dried egg can be difficult to remove, and removal attempts with scrapers, abrasives or flammable cleaning solvents can damage some surfaces.
Victims of egging may be entitled tofinancial compensation for the cost of repairs and cleaning, and to fix or replace damaged property. Common charges related to egging are damage to property, vandalism, and nuisance.[1] In more serious cases where injuries have resulted, perpetrators may be charged with assault and fined.[2]
Egging of a person's face can cause serious injuries andeye injury,[3][4] and may constituteassault andbattery.[5] A nurse was blinded in one eye when an egg was thrown at her from a passing car in March 2008 inDublin.[6] A boy inLong Island lost sight in one eye after teens from a local high school threw eggs out of a passing car onHalloween in 2005.[7]
During the2004 Ukrainian presidential election, candidateViktor Yanukovych was rushed to hospital after he had been hit with an egg (while government officials claimed he was hit by a brick), which became a source of ridicule.[30]
Former Brazilian presidentLuiz Inácio da Silva had eggs and rocks thrown at his bus by protesters in March 2019 while he was visiting southern Brazil.[29] In July 2017, Maria Victoria Barros, a member of the state assembly in Paraná and daughter ofRicardo Barros,Health Minister duringMichel Temer's government, had eggs thrown at her during her wedding as she left the church.[34] After blamingMuslim immigrants for the anti-MuslimChristchurch massacre in March 2019, Australian politicianFraser Anning wasegged by a teenager, who was arrested, but later released without charges.[35] While campaigning during the May2019 Australian federal election, Prime MinisterScott Morrison was the target of an attempted egging by a 24-year-old woman at aCountry Women's Association event held at theAlbury Entertainment Centre. The egg failed to break on contact with Morrison's head and instead bounced off. The lady was immediately arrested.[36] Former Australian PMJulia Gillard was also egged by protesters in July 2010.[37]
Egging is sometimes associated with certain events and holidays.
InBrazil, it is common to throw eggs at someone on theirbirthday, with or without their consent, as a friendly prank.[38][39] Usually,flour is also poured on the person's head after the eggs, with the idea of "acake being made on their heads". A recent example is whenGuarani FC midfielderJosé Fernando Fumagalli had eggs and wheat flour thrown by his teammates during his 40th birthday celebrations and retirement announcement in 2017.[38][39][40] The tradition originated in the 1980s,[38] inMexico, where it was common to break"cascarones" (eggshells) on a person's head at their birthday party as a vow of good fortune. The eggs were usually filled withconfetti and colored withdye orcrayons.[39]
^Stewart R. M., Durnian J. M., Briggs M. C. "Here's egg in your eye": a prospective study of blunt ocular trauma resulting from thrown eggs. Emergency Medicine Journal. 23(10):756–8, Oct 2006.
