Race Commissioner condemns racist motivation at Melbourne rally
The Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan has spoken out following the far-right rally which took place in Melbourne’s St Kilda yesterday.
Photo: Facebook
Many of the activists participating in the rally raised their arms in the Nazi salute.
Chin Tan said he remains deeply concerned about the rally organised by far-right activists,
He said in a statement: “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the apparent racist and race-based motivation behind the rally. There is no place for such rallies in Australia.
All Australians have a right to protest peacefully, it is one of the great freedoms we enjoy. It is, however, never acceptable for people to act or conduct themselves in ways that are likely to, or intended to, inflame and incite racial fear and tensions, hatred and violence.
Community concerns about crime, where they exist, must be properly discussed, and those discussions must be underpinned with facts and evidence.
Activities that target a community based on their race or ethnicity are unacceptable and have no place in a cohesive, multicultural Australia.
I have been assured by Victoria Police that they will enforce the law if it is breached at the rally, including laws relating to incitement to racial hatred and violence.
Chin Tan
I remind all Australians that protections against racial vilification exist under the Racial Discrimination Act making it unlawful to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate someone because of their race or ethnicity and I urge those who took part in the rally to carefully consider their legal obligations.”
The far right locally has remained relatively small, as demonstrated by the low turnout from the United Patriots Front (UPF) rally in St Kilda on Saturday, but the community must remain vigilant. It was heartening to see the much larger anti-Fascism contingent confronting the far right rally peacefully and with the tremendous work of Victoria Police keeping the groups apart and peaceful. The leaders of the UPF rally both have criminal convictions, including one for
targeting a beloved local Melbourne rabbi.
The support of the far right event by Queensland Independent Senator Fraser Anning attending and posting support online is also a sign that the community must keep the pressure on all sides of politics to oppose racism, racial hatred and religious intolerance.
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) also condemned the far-right rally held on St Kilda foreshore organised by Blair Cottrell and Neil Erikson both previously been convicted of crimes under Victoria’s Racial and Religious Vilification Act.
Jennifer Huppert
JCCV President Jennifer Huppert said: “The use of Nazi symbolism and expressions of racism by the attendees is unacceptable behaviour and has no place in Australia”.
Ms Huppert added: “I commend Victoria Police for their proactive actions on the day in ensuring the safety of those in the area., and call on them to enforce the laws relating to racial hatred and vilification if they have been breached.”
The actions of the of those attending the rally, as well as the recent activities of Antipodean Resistance in stickering swastikas in the vicinity of Emmy Monash Homes in North Caulfield, are part of an increase in the activities of the far right, which are of great concern to the Jewish community.
Perhaps Mr Chin Tan and Jennifer Huppert should get educated. It is the Far Left that use the Nazi salute and are an aggressive mob that go to peaceful rallies be they Right or Far Right to cause problems. They also call Jews Baby Killers like Golda Meir. along with many more colorful descriptions. Perhaps when these peaceful rallies are held the opposition is not permitted to attend, therefore eliminating any problems. Allas… it seems the Media who is Far Left, extremely biased would screm blue murder. I also found that the Police removed the peaceful protesters on more than one occasion as it was easier t remove them than the insane and violent mob of the left and the media had a ball with this on the news. The victims of asult were arrested because there were too many perpetrators. Ah, so much for Justice in this land and the Honest reporting.