From https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pete-fry-mayor-inauguration-9.7406488
City of Vancouver Mayor Pete Fry, centre, is hit with lettuce thrown at him by a Chinese lion as symbol of prosperity during a performance as councillor Mike Klassen, left, and Sean Orr, right, look on during the inauguration ceremony in Vancouver. (Rich Lam/The Canadian Press)
The lion was performing, not the politicians.
Performing is all politicians often do, though.