"Intentional attack"... an Australian MP was run over outside her office

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Independent MP in the Australian Parliament, Helen Haines, was involved in an intentional car accident on Monday, resulting in “critical injuries”, according to police.

Victoria Police Commissioner Ashley Mason explained that the car struck Haines outside her office in Wangaratta, 200 kilometers northwest of Melbourne, resulting in "critical injuries."

Passersby kept the 43-year-old car driver in check, until the police arrested him and found a knife in his possession, according to Mason.

For his part, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stressed in statements to the official ABC television that "this was not an accident, but rather a deliberate act."

Albanese also added in press statements that the motives for the attack are still unknown, indicating that anti-terrorism forces took over the work on the incident.

It is noteworthy that politicians in Australia have been exposed to increasing threats and violence in recent years, according to police data, which formed a specialized team to investigate groups and individuals who target members of Parliament.

Haines (65 years old) entered Parliament in 2019, and was known for her efforts to promote integrity in political work and fight corruption, according to Agence France-Presse.