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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jul/19/reclaim-australia-brisbane-rally-organisers-announce-split-from-group
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| Split in Reclaim Australia group as rallies take place across country | Split in Reclaim Australia group as rallies take place across country |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Related: Five arrested as Reclaim Australia and anti-racism protesters face off in Sydney | Related: Five arrested as Reclaim Australia and anti-racism protesters face off in Sydney |
| Organisers of a Reclaim Australia event in Brisbane have announced their split from the organisation to join an explicitly anti-Islam group during one of a string of rallies nationwide that drew heavy police presence amid rival anti-racism demonstrations. | Organisers of a Reclaim Australia event in Brisbane have announced their split from the organisation to join an explicitly anti-Islam group during one of a string of rallies nationwide that drew heavy police presence amid rival anti-racism demonstrations. |
| And in Mackay, a Muslim community spokesman called on federal government backbencher George Christensen to prove he is not a “bigot” by visiting a mosque in his north Queensland electorate following his speech at a Reclaim Australia rally in Mackay. | And in Mackay, a Muslim community spokesman called on federal government backbencher George Christensen to prove he is not a “bigot” by visiting a mosque in his north Queensland electorate following his speech at a Reclaim Australia rally in Mackay. |
| Three arrests at a Sydney rally on Sunday morning followed clashes in Melbourne a day earlier where hundreds of police stood between opposing demonstrators, with dozens sprayed with capsicum spray and at least four people arrested. | Three arrests at a Sydney rally on Sunday morning followed clashes in Melbourne a day earlier where hundreds of police stood between opposing demonstrators, with dozens sprayed with capsicum spray and at least four people arrested. |
| In Brisbane, where rally attendees complained of being drowned out by the din of anti-racism protesters, a group of organisers revealed they had split from Reclaim Australia to join “Australians Against Islam”. | In Brisbane, where rally attendees complained of being drowned out by the din of anti-racism protesters, a group of organisers revealed they had split from Reclaim Australia to join “Australians Against Islam”. |
| “Unfortunately the time has come for the Brisbane admin team to part ways with RAR,” they said on Facebook. “This has not been an easy decision however we will be continuing the fight with a new group who share our desire for stopping Islam, motivation, information sharing, freedom of ideas and a democratic group working as one for the good of all Australians.” | “Unfortunately the time has come for the Brisbane admin team to part ways with RAR,” they said on Facebook. “This has not been an easy decision however we will be continuing the fight with a new group who share our desire for stopping Islam, motivation, information sharing, freedom of ideas and a democratic group working as one for the good of all Australians.” |
| The Australians Against Islam website states it “wish(es) to serve as an educational reference and dispel any public myths that Islam may be a peaceful religion”. | The Australians Against Islam website states it “wish(es) to serve as an educational reference and dispel any public myths that Islam may be a peaceful religion”. |
| Christensen, who hours before attending the Mackay rally traded barbs on Twitter with Sydney man Zaky Mallah, branding him an “Islamist grub”, said he would leave if protesters sported anti-Islam slogans. | Christensen, who hours before attending the Mackay rally traded barbs on Twitter with Sydney man Zaky Mallah, branding him an “Islamist grub”, said he would leave if protesters sported anti-Islam slogans. |
| “What the main group [Reclaim Australia] is protesting against is extreme Islam and the ideology of extreme Islam,” Christensen told Fairfax Media. | “What the main group [Reclaim Australia] is protesting against is extreme Islam and the ideology of extreme Islam,” Christensen told Fairfax Media. |
| “Obviously it has crossed my mind that we might get ratbags there that might want to hold up placards that say ‘Deport Muslims’ or ‘Down with Muslims’ or whatever. | “Obviously it has crossed my mind that we might get ratbags there that might want to hold up placards that say ‘Deport Muslims’ or ‘Down with Muslims’ or whatever. |
| “My view is that if those signs are there I will tell them privately to remove those signs, or I go.” | “My view is that if those signs are there I will tell them privately to remove those signs, or I go.” |
| Islamic Council of Queensland spokesman Al Kadri said Christensen was “talking sweet stuff” but had “not done enough research” on Reclaim Australia. | Islamic Council of Queensland spokesman Al Kadri said Christensen was “talking sweet stuff” but had “not done enough research” on Reclaim Australia. |
| “All you have to do is go to their Facebook page to see that they claim to stand up for Australian values and right to religion and free speech but they want to stifle the right to religious practice of Muslims,” Kadri told Guardian Australia. | “All you have to do is go to their Facebook page to see that they claim to stand up for Australian values and right to religion and free speech but they want to stifle the right to religious practice of Muslims,” Kadri told Guardian Australia. |
| “They regularly promote banning the mosques. It is in no way, shape or form an organisation which holds Australian values. And to be honest, anyone associated with them, politicians or otherwise, are nothing but bigots in my eyes.” | “They regularly promote banning the mosques. It is in no way, shape or form an organisation which holds Australian values. And to be honest, anyone associated with them, politicians or otherwise, are nothing but bigots in my eyes.” |
| Kadri said Christensen had never visited in the mosque in Mackay, where he said harassment of the Muslim community was the worst in the state. | Kadri said Christensen had never visited in the mosque in Mackay, where he said harassment of the Muslim community was the worst in the state. |
| “Mackay Muslims face more extremism and racism towards them than anybody else: abuse on the street, people drive past and swear at the mosque all the time,” he said. | “Mackay Muslims face more extremism and racism towards them than anybody else: abuse on the street, people drive past and swear at the mosque all the time,” he said. |
| “By going to rallies like this, George Christensen is going to create extremists here in the guise of patriotism who are going to harm Australians. | “By going to rallies like this, George Christensen is going to create extremists here in the guise of patriotism who are going to harm Australians. |
| “Is [Christensen] a politician representative of all the constituents or is he just representing right wing extremists? He has to make up his mind and come out clearly against that kind of racism too. | “Is [Christensen] a politician representative of all the constituents or is he just representing right wing extremists? He has to make up his mind and come out clearly against that kind of racism too. |
| “If he believes in freedom of religious practice, I urge him to come and visit the mosque. Muslims are affected by radical Islam more than anybody else. More Muslims are killed by terrorists than anybody else.” | “If he believes in freedom of religious practice, I urge him to come and visit the mosque. Muslims are affected by radical Islam more than anybody else. More Muslims are killed by terrorists than anybody else.” |
| Former politician and One Nation founder Pauline Hanson told a Reclaim Australia rally in Rockhampton she was “against the spread of Islam”. | Former politician and One Nation founder Pauline Hanson told a Reclaim Australia rally in Rockhampton she was “against the spread of Islam”. |
| Hanson attended a rally in Brisbane in April, when eight Nauru immigration detention centre guards posed with her in a picture. They were subsequently suspended for breaching employer guidelines, including by posting anti-Islam sentiments on social media, and one of them was ultimately dismissed. | Hanson attended a rally in Brisbane in April, when eight Nauru immigration detention centre guards posed with her in a picture. They were subsequently suspended for breaching employer guidelines, including by posting anti-Islam sentiments on social media, and one of them was ultimately dismissed. |
| Mallah – whose appearance on ABC’s Q&A last month resulted in Abbott government ministers boycotting the program – said on Twitter on Saturday: “Conservative Lib rat George Christenson [sic] will be appearing at the Reclaim Australia rally this weekend. Abbotts Gov going down shit hole.” | Mallah – whose appearance on ABC’s Q&A last month resulted in Abbott government ministers boycotting the program – said on Twitter on Saturday: “Conservative Lib rat George Christenson [sic] will be appearing at the Reclaim Australia rally this weekend. Abbotts Gov going down shit hole.” |
| Christensen replied early on Sunday: “Spell my name properly you Islamist grub.” | Christensen replied early on Sunday: “Spell my name properly you Islamist grub.” |
| Related: Hell will freeze over before I pull out of Reclaim Australia's rally | George Christensen | Related: Hell will freeze over before I pull out of Reclaim Australia's rally | George Christensen |
| Mallah, who in 2005 pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Asio officers in 2005 but was acquitted of charges of preparing for a terrorist act, stoked controversy for the ABC after his exchange on Q&A with government MP Steve Ciobo. | Mallah, who in 2005 pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Asio officers in 2005 but was acquitted of charges of preparing for a terrorist act, stoked controversy for the ABC after his exchange on Q&A with government MP Steve Ciobo. |
| In Brisbane police tape and officers separated the Reclaim rally from anti-racism protesters whose chants competed with rally speakers. | In Brisbane police tape and officers separated the Reclaim rally from anti-racism protesters whose chants competed with rally speakers. |
| One attendee said on Facebook: “I’m here, and discussed [sic] by the loud obnoxious idiots who will not allow the democratic right for us to discuss our concerns. Who are really inciting violence?” | One attendee said on Facebook: “I’m here, and discussed [sic] by the loud obnoxious idiots who will not allow the democratic right for us to discuss our concerns. Who are really inciting violence?” |
| Comment has been sought from Australians Against Islam. | Comment has been sought from Australians Against Islam. |
| A spokeswoman for Queensland police (QPS) said they had been “monitoring interest in the ‘Reclaim Australia Rallies’ protest movement which is planning activity today in Brisbane”. | A spokeswoman for Queensland police (QPS) said they had been “monitoring interest in the ‘Reclaim Australia Rallies’ protest movement which is planning activity today in Brisbane”. |
| “The QPS acknowledges the rights of citizens to voice their opinions however will be seeking to balance this right with public safety concerns associated with large groups of people occupying public space,” she said. | “The QPS acknowledges the rights of citizens to voice their opinions however will be seeking to balance this right with public safety concerns associated with large groups of people occupying public space,” she said. |
| About 100 anti-Islam Reclaim Australia protesters were met by about the same number of people from the Rally Against Racism group in Perth’s Solidarity Park. | About 100 anti-Islam Reclaim Australia protesters were met by about the same number of people from the Rally Against Racism group in Perth’s Solidarity Park. |
| The anti-racism group was louder, using megaphones to chant “Muslims are welcome, racism’s not” and shout obscenities. Before police formed a barrier between the two groups, they escorted a man in a Guy Fawkes mask away from the Reclaim Australia camp for “stirring up trouble”. | |
| In Canberra, vocal anti-Islam and anti-racism protesters marched to federal parliament, closing Canberra roads and causing minor traffic delays. | |
| To the tune of Men at Work’s Down Under, the 200 or so protesters clashed with words. Anti-racism protesters outnumbered the 50 people marching for Reclaim Australia. | |
| Roxley Foley, the caretaker of Canberra’s Aboriginal tent embassy, stood behind the Reclaim Australia group with a sign reading “not yours to reclaim”. | |
| “This kind of division, fearmongering and pandering to ignorance in communities is dividing us away from where our real problems are,” he told reporters. As a minority group, Indigenous people knew “all too well” what it was like to be subjected to broad laws that took away liberties and choices, he said. | |
| “When any community or group is going to be marginalised, we’re going to say ‘we know what it’s like and we’re going to stand in solidarity with you’.” | |
| Additional reporting by Australian Associated Press |