Far right nationalist Party for Freedom to hold ‘Straight Lives Matter’ anti-same-sex marriage rally

A FAR right group, one of the chief organisers of the Cronulla riots anniversary events, has a new target — people voting yes for same-sex marriage.

The Party for Freedom will hold a ‘Straight Lives Matter’ protest on Saturday in Sydney to campaign for “white heteronormativity”.

The group, which usually campaigns against Muslim immigration, described the march as a reaction to the “purple haired rainbow collective”.

The party’s leader, Nick Folkes, told news.com.au being gay was a choice and called on people who didn’t identify with their biological gender “retards”.

Provocatively, the protest is being held in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst, famous for its large LGBTI population and metres from a memorial to murdered gays and lesbians.

The group was unapologetic for holding the rally next to a monument mourning gay people executed by the Nazi regime during the Holocaust.

“We want to make a strong point — I don’t feel were provoking anyone, we can hold a rally anywhere,” Mr Folkes said. He said “yes” campaigners could hold a march in a “straight area”.

NSW Police confirmed they would be in attendance at the event.

The Straight Lives Matter march — the name a clear reference to the Black Lives Matter anti-racist movement — is being led by Folkes, the chairman of the Party for Freedom. He was the figurehead of a protest in the Sydney suburb of Cronulla in 2015 to mark the 10 year anniversary of the infamous beachside riots.

That march led to violent clashes with anti-fascist protesters.

Nick Folkes of the Party for Freedom is organising the ‘Straight Lives Matter’ rally.Source:News Corp Australia

Mr Folkes told news.com.au he expected hundreds of people to attend. Currently 26 people have confirmed they will be a part of the march on the event’s social media page.

Asked if he really believed sexuality was something people chose, Mr Folkes said: “In most cases it’s a lifestyle people choose. My neighbour has kids and he was straight but went gay.”

He also railed against transgender people — also not mentioned on the ballot paper.

“All these 76 genders. I say there’s three genders: male, female and retards. The rest is lunacy The world’s being turned upside down.”

In a Facebook post, Mr Folkes, who describes himself as a “nationalist”, wrote: “The same people who support the multi-sexual agenda of redefining marriage support third world immigration, global warming and restrictions on freedom of speech.”

The group has been condemned by its own Facebook group. One person said the protest was “disgusting”.

Some of the posters Party for Freedom members have been posting that equate same-sex marriage with child abuse.Source:Supplied

“Are you actually holding this homophobic stunt in a park that has a memorial for homosexuals who were murdered at Auschwitz? Are you people actually that idiotic and disgusting?”

Asked if the rally occurring so close to the memorial was itself a form of bulling towards the LGBTI community, Mr Folkes said he was not aware of the monument when the event was organised.

He said the Yes campaign “is a massive propaganda campaign to attract more people to that lifestyle. I believe it will weaken society and make a homosexual society.”

On social media, members of the party have posted images of themselves putting up now infamous posters which equate same-sex marriage with child abuse. But, talking to news.com.au, Mr Folkes denied he was homophobic, and said gay people already had the “same rights” as heterosexuals.

“This is not about gay marriage, it’s a Pandora’s box. Some people are talking about polygamy and lowering the age of consent.”

Legal experts who have spoken to news.com.au say current de facto partnerships do indeed provide fewer protections than marriage. Yes campaigners have also criticised mention of polygamy as a scare tactic, saying it’s utterly unrelated to a law change.

The group is hoping hundreds will attend the Straight Lives Matter rally.Source:Supplied

On Tuesday, Peter De Waal, who was together with his partner Peter Bonsall-Boone for 50 years, urged people to vote yes to same-sex marriage. He wanted to marry his partner but will never get the chance as he died several months ago.

Surely marriage equality was not about the “purple haired rainbow collective” but people like Mr De Waal, still mourning his partner?

“I separate the emotions from the person. He may be innocent and he may just want to marry his partner but the militant gay lobby has a different agenda. It’s not just a couple of blokes who want to get married,” said Mr Folkes.

Marriage equality campaigners have insisted that is entirely what the survey is about.

The Straight Lives Matter rally is being held metres away from Sydney’s gay and lesbian holocaust memorial.Source:Supplied

Alex Greenwich is the state MP for Sydney, which includes Darlinghurst, and is a leading member of the Equality Campaign.

When asked by news.com.au if a Straight Lives Matter rally was an example of the “respectful debate” that had been encouraged, he didn’t address the march directly but said “yes” campaigners shouldn’t be distracted.

“We will be urging everybody this weekend to spend time and energy knocking on doors getting out the yes vote.

“It is so important we are not distracted. We didn’t want to have this postal survey, we wanted the government to do its job but because they failed to do it, that means we have to.”

Teirnan Brady, the head of the Equality Campaign acknowledged the same-sex marriage debate had taken some ugly turns.

“This is hard; this is about real people’s lives. Every day there is a national discussion about your worth, your dignity and how wanting to be treated the same as the rest of your family poses some kind of threat to society.”

On Tuesday, the City of Sydney said it would be spending $32,000 delivering thousands of “wedding invitations” to households in the city encouraging people to vote “yes”.

The city has firmly pinned its colours to the marriage equality mast, erecting hundreds of “yes” banners.

Mr Folkes said Saturday’s rally would be an “interesting day in democracy”.

NSW Police, alongside gay and lesbian liaison officers, will be in attendance.

“We respect the public’s right to protest [but] anyone who breaks the law or engages in anti-social behaviour will be dealt with accordingly,” the organisation said in a statement.

benedict.brook@news.com.au