Following the attack, Mr O’Leary appeared unfazed.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary was hit with a pie in the face by environmental protesters in Brussels on Thursday. According to the BBC, the airline chief was preparing to speak outside European Union headquarters when two female protesters dressed in black smeared him with two cream pies.
A video going viral online captured the exact moment of the incident. “Stop the pollution,” shouted one of the women just before she smashed Mr O’Leary in the face. “Welcome in Belgium,” said another while hitting the airline chief in the back of the head with another pie.
Watch the video below:
“stop the pollution” is what the environmental activist shouted after she hit Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary with a pie during a press conference in Brussels. pic.twitter.com/nbHva1sA30
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) September 7, 2023
At the end of the video, while both of the women were seen walking away after the attack, Mr O’Leary appeared unfazed. “Well done,” he responded before wiping cream from his face and continuing with the planned press briefing.
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Following the incident, Ryanair’s official account jokingly wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Mr O’Leary had received a “warm welcome in Brussels”. “Passengers so happy with our routes and petition that they’re celebrating with cake,” the post read.
Warm welcome in Brussels today to celebrate RYR’s 7 new routes for Winter 23. Passengers so happy with our routes and petition that they’re celebrating with cake. We’ve got tasty low fares! pic.twitter.com/MpT6ssSX6a
— Ryanair (@Ryanair) September 7, 2023
“Instead of buying cream pies, could have bought a flight from Belgium for the same price,” the airline wrote in a subsequent post.
Instead of buying cream pies, could have bought a flight from Belgium for the same price 😏 pic.twitter.com/8jruYI3ZxE
— Ryanair (@Ryanair) September 7, 2023
According to the BBC, Mr O’Leary was set to speak to the media about a petition he was presenting to Ursula Von Der Leyen, the president of the European Commission. “My only complaint was that the cream was artificial and not tasty,” the airline chief later joked at a news conference.
Meanwhile, according to The Guardian, the activists’ pie protest came as Ryanair pilots in Belgium announced a new strike on September 14 and 15 – their fourth stoppage in two months – over pay and working conditions. Mr O’Leary was outside EU headquarters reportedly with 1.5 million signatures demanding that flights be allowed to cross French airspace during air traffic control strikes there.