Bendigo anti-mosque protest forces mayor to leave meeting under police guard
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Version 0 of 1. Bendigo is bracing for further protests after the city’s mayor was escorted under police guard from a council meeting amid a heated protest against a planned mosque. Related: Fights break out as rival protests clash over Bendigo mosque Officers were called to the Victorian city’s town hall about 6.30pm on Wednesday as protesters shouting “no mosque” and calling Mayor Peter Cox a “traitor” forced the monthly council meeting to close prematurely. Four police officers cleared the chamber and the meeting was closed early. There were no arrests. Scuffles between rival groups supporting and opposing the mosque development clashed in Bendigo in August, resulting in a series of scuffles and disrupting the town’s central business district. Another street protest is planned in October. Related: Battle over Bendigo: fear and bruised feelings in city that said yes to a mosque Cox, a vocal supporter of the mosque, said he felt safe as he was escorted from the council chamber but said he was disappointed at the way the meeting ended. “They put their point of view but they made so much noise that it was not possible to continue running the council meeting,” Cox said. “It is disappointing that some people would not allow other points of view to be expressed. Only one point of view was heard. “The whole democratic process broke down because we had to adjourn the meeting.” The City of Greater Bendigo approved the planned mosque in June 2014, despite vocal opposition. Opponents unsuccessfully appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to have the council decision overturned. They are now seeking leave to appeal VCAT’s decision in the Victorian Supreme Court. |