An anti-Islam rally in Hobart fizzled in the face of opposition from rival pro-diversity supporters who outnumbered the protesters five to one.
About 10 people turned up to Franklin Square for a United Patriots Front rally on Saturday, compared with about 50 counter-protesters, ABC News reported.
A Tasmania Welcomes Diversity spokesman, Nathan Harris, said a line of up to 20 police officers had kept the two groups apart and there had been no violence. “I think the show of numbers clearly indicates it is definitely a small minority of people who think like they [anti-Islam protesters] do,” he said.
The rally was worlds apart from scenes in Bendigo, Victoria, where hundreds of pro-diversity and anti-mosque protesters faced off on either side of a police cordon. The United Patriots Front was rallying against plans to build a mosque in the regional Victorian city.
Four people were arrested. Two of them allegedly had knives, while a third had a flare, Superintendent Mick West said after the rally. One person was arrested for a minor assault.
Numbers were much lower than expected and police said the crowds had generally been well behaved.
