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| Far-right United Patriots Front to form political party ahead of federal election | Far-right United Patriots Front to form political party ahead of federal election |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Leadership dramas have not stymied plans by Australia’s far-right United Patriots Front to form a political party ahead of next year’s federal election. | Leadership dramas have not stymied plans by Australia’s far-right United Patriots Front to form a political party ahead of next year’s federal election. |
| The UPF’s new leader, Blair Cottrell, has announced in a video on the group’s Facebook page the formation of a political party called Fortitude. | The UPF’s new leader, Blair Cottrell, has announced in a video on the group’s Facebook page the formation of a political party called Fortitude. |
| “This will be happening in the next few weeks,” the former Victorian bodybuilder said on Monday in a video statement. | “This will be happening in the next few weeks,” the former Victorian bodybuilder said on Monday in a video statement. |
| Related: Arrests as violent clashes break out at Reclaim Australia rallies | Related: Arrests as violent clashes break out at Reclaim Australia rallies |
| The group, which claims to oppose “the spread of left-wing treason and spread of Islamism”, first announced its electoral aspirations in September. | The group, which claims to oppose “the spread of left-wing treason and spread of Islamism”, first announced its electoral aspirations in September. |
| But its former leader Shermon Burgess resigned in October after videos surfaced of fellow UPF members mocking him. | But its former leader Shermon Burgess resigned in October after videos surfaced of fellow UPF members mocking him. |
| It’s unclear whether Cottrell himself will run, as a 19-month prison sentence for arson may put him in breach of Australian Electoral Commission regulations. | It’s unclear whether Cottrell himself will run, as a 19-month prison sentence for arson may put him in breach of Australian Electoral Commission regulations. |
| In order to be registered as a party the UPF will need to sign up at least 500 members and overcome any objections registered by the public. | In order to be registered as a party the UPF will need to sign up at least 500 members and overcome any objections registered by the public. |
| The UPF has become notorious for its part in this year’s Reclaim Australia rallies, the most recent round held on Sunday, with several hundred protesters and counter-demonstrators turning out in Melbourne and Sydney and smaller rallies in Perth, Canberra and Brisbane. | The UPF has become notorious for its part in this year’s Reclaim Australia rallies, the most recent round held on Sunday, with several hundred protesters and counter-demonstrators turning out in Melbourne and Sydney and smaller rallies in Perth, Canberra and Brisbane. |
| Related: The UPF and Reclaim Australia aren't 'concerned parents' or a bad joke | Andy Fleming | Related: The UPF and Reclaim Australia aren't 'concerned parents' or a bad joke | Andy Fleming |
| Ten were arrested, including three for possessing weapons in Melbourne and one for defacing a memorial in Sydney. | Ten were arrested, including three for possessing weapons in Melbourne and one for defacing a memorial in Sydney. |
| Reclaim organisers have publicly distanced themselves from the UPF — calling them hardliners and a “Nazi element” — and claim to have cleared its members from their ranks. | Reclaim organisers have publicly distanced themselves from the UPF — calling them hardliners and a “Nazi element” — and claim to have cleared its members from their ranks. |
| It is also unclear what specific policies the UPF will run on, though Cottrell has previously voiced support for putting portraits of Adolf Hitler in schools and railed against multiculturalism and feminism. | It is also unclear what specific policies the UPF will run on, though Cottrell has previously voiced support for putting portraits of Adolf Hitler in schools and railed against multiculturalism and feminism. |
| A far-right activist, Phillip Galea, was arrested last week allegedly in possession of five tasers, a jar of mercury, a bomb-making manual and “extreme political material related to the UPF”, police said. | |
| The Dutch MP Geert Wilders was in Australia last month to launch the Australian Liberty Alliance, another anti-Muslim party, albeit one that eschews violence. | |
| A Townsville-based activist, Kim Vuga, has recently announced plans for a party along similar lines, called Love Australia or Leave. | |
| Sydney man Diaa Mohamed last week announced the creation of the Australian Muslim Party, which he said would aim to voice Islamic perspectives in national debates. | Sydney man Diaa Mohamed last week announced the creation of the Australian Muslim Party, which he said would aim to voice Islamic perspectives in national debates. |