Watch Australian woman calmly stub out cigarette in reporter's face, get arrested


There are lots of acceptable ways to avoid answering questions from reporters — "no comment," repeatedly, is probably the best — but jabbing them with lighted cigarettes isn't one of them. On Sunday, a 23-year-old woman pushing a baby stroller was leaving court in Caboolture, Australia, after apparently testifying in support of Stevee Jane Kennedy, a woman accused of fatally stabbing an ex-boyfriend. She lit a cigarette, then apparently stubbed it out in the face of 9News reporter Alex Bernhardt, adding with a smile, "Get out of my way."
The incident was captured on camera, as was the follow-up, where police detained the young woman and charged her with public nuisance. "We go to day, just like everybody else," Bernhardt said after the burn. "We certainly shouldn't have to deal with this." Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Learning loss: AI cheating upends education
Feature Teachers are questioning the future of education as students turn to AI for help with their assignments
-
Why Iranian cities are banning dog walking
Under The Radar Our four-legged friends are a 'contentious topic' in the Islamic Republic
-
Andrea Long Chu's 6 favorite books for people who crave new ideas
Feature The book critic recommends works by Rachel Cusk, Sigmund Freud, and more
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia