En Passant

‘We write to express our disappointment in the way the demonstration [in Sydney] against Reclaim Australia concluded on Sunday… The rally today had a number of strengths that can be built on to take this movement forward. But the unnecessary and undemocratic confrontation with police was a step back and must not be repeated. We will need a more democratic, honest approach to organising to make any future events successful.’

In an article in the Canberra Times on our anti-Reclaim Australia rally on Sunday at Parliament House, Christopher Knaus quotes me. The report itself doesn’t mention the strong Aboriginal Tent Embassy presence at the anti-Reclaim rally. Here is one of my poor photos of the 25 or so Aboriginal comrades at the beginning of the protest against racism.

Wrapped in the Australian flag, chanting Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi, oi, oi and sprouting hateful lies and abuse against Muslims and anti-fascists and anti-racists like me, and wanting to undertake physical action against its perceived enemies, these white nationalist Reclaim Australia people, mainly alienated middle aged and young men, are a potential lumpen proletariat wing of fascism. It made me realise why some alienated young men might also join or support Reclaim’s alter ego and mirror image, ISIS.

We live in dangerous times. The fascists have guns. One tried to bring a gun to a Reclaim Australia rally. A complicit media and political elite remain silent. We must continue our struggle against racism and Islamaphobia.

Well done to all those in Canberra who attended this great turnout to confront the racists. We outnumbered them five to one. We kicked their sorry arses.

Victoria Police should rightfully be condemned for the deployment of chemical weapons, the targeting of medical personnel, casualties and medical treatment spaces with such weapons and, most of all, doing this in order to facilitate a public rally of racists and overt fascists and neo-nazis. Any assessment of the actions of antifascist protesters will conclude that they were inherently defensive: against threats of violence and the use of weapons by fascists and nazis as part of the United Patriots Front, and against the violence of racism and systematic oppression on the parts of Reclaim Australia, the United Patriots Front and Victoria Police.

Just as the Reclaim White Australia racists and fascists plan to rally this Saturday and Sunday across the country, so we are building counter-protests to welcome and defend Muslims. I urge all anti-racists and anti-fascists to attend and spread a message of love against the purveyors of hate, and in doing that help to drive the fascists and their useful idiots back into their cesspits.