The ‘Reclaim Australia’ rallies organised for April 4 will bring together a wide range of Islamophobic individuals and organisations. Below is a brief account of some of these.
The ‘Patriots Defence League’ (PDL) is an incorporated association registered in Queensland, though with branches/Facebook pages across the country (including Canberra). The PDL (Inc) actually began life as the ‘Australian Defence League’ (Inc) in January 2014, but changed its name in April to the PDL (for reasons presumably associated with the initial split between the ADL and the PDL). The PDL cheekily describes its principal activity as being ‘to raise awareness of women’s and children’s rights’. In reality, the PDL, like the ADL, is an Islamophobic organisation.
PDLA Treasurer Mark Lenthall, for example, chooses to promote women’s and children’s rights by, inter alia, praising the Internet band ‘Eureka Brigade’ and suggesting that ‘Muslim Massacre’ is a neat song title.
*rolls eyes*
Note that Martin Fletcher, the Vice Chairman of the Sydney-based Party For Freedom (PFF), once made the video game ‘Muslim Massacre’ available on his website (the aim of the game is to kill all Muslims that appear on the screen). The PFF developed as a split from the Australian Protectionist Party — itself created as a split from the Australia First Party — in mid-2012, following the APP leadership’s rejection of the Sydney branch’s organisation of a public rally demanding that the Australian government ‘Torpedo the Boats’ carrying asylum seekers to Australia.
The PFF can reasonably expected to be a presence at the Reclaim rally in Sydney.
Reclaim Australia, as previously noted, is a campaign promoting anti-Muslim protests to take place on April 4. Its spearhead is Shermon Burgess (aka ‘The Great Aussie Patriot’ aka ‘Eureka Brigade’). Burgess has previously claimed to be a member of the ADL (and has the t-shirt to prove it) and while rejecting the notion that he is a racist or fascist, has also celebrated the deaths of asylum seekers at sea and encouraged a member of the Australian Navy, Jamie Patton, to murder asylum seekers arriving by boat — on the basis that they are ‘Muslim rapists and terrorists’.
Burgess has further expressed support for the neo-Nazi group ‘Squadron 88’, encouraging his followers to attend their (rather dismal) anti-Muslim protest in Penrith a few weeks ago. Bizarrely, S88 has adopted as its mascot and spokesperson Ross ‘The Skull’ May (pictured above at S88’s protest in Penrith on January 23), an aging neo-Nazi activist. Burgess is also a fan of neo-Nazi muzak to boot:
More recently, Burgess has teamed up with neo-Nazis belonging to another neo-Nazi groupusucle called ‘National Republican Guard’ (NRG), a tiny Internet association comprised of ex-members of yet another tiny neo-Nazi groupuscule called ‘Nationalist Alternative’ (NAlt). NAlt underwent an acrimonious split last year with rejected members publishing lurid claims regarding the group’s leader and otherwise acting like idiots online. Otherwise, NAlt views the anti-Muslim crowd as potential recruits to their group.
In summary, anti-Muslim sentiment unites a variety of actors on the far right, and many look to it as fertile ground for recruitment and political consolidation.
In other news:
1) The nice, middle-class Islamophobes of The Q Society are being sued:
Mohamed El-Mouelhy vs. Q Society, Kirralie Smith et al.
Dear Friends;
Mohamed El-Mouelhy as sole director of the private company ‘Halal Certification Authority Pty Ltd’, has commenced legal proceedings against Q Society, Q member Kirralie Smith, myself and two other board members. We face defamation action in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
Kirralie Smith known for her Halal Choices website, toured Australia as a guest presenter for Q Society in 2012. The successful tour and subsequent interest in halal certification resulted in a video production, which was uploaded to our YouTube channel in 2013, likewise one of Kirralie’s presentations at a 2014 Q Society event.
I am under legal advice not to divulge information about the case at this time. However, as informed citizens, I know you understand the significance of the court action and the implications for freedom of speech in Australia. Specialized legal counsel in New South Wales has instruction to jointly represent all defendants, including Kirralie.
I am calling for your help to contribute to the legal costs to defend the claims brought against us by Mohammed El-Mouehly. Please consider sending a donation, no matter how small to Q Society and spread the word among your connections.
It is vital that those who speak the truth about Islamic halal certification and other Islamic impositions are not silenced by time-consuming and expensive court action.
It’s important we work together on this critical issue and please remember: “There are no great men. Just great challenges which ordinary men, out of necessity, are forced by circumstances to meet.” – Admiral William Frederick Halsey, Jr. USN.
…
Thank you in anticipation,
Debbie Robinson
National President
See also : Boycott Halal movement in Australia set to escalate, Chris Johnston, The Age, December 27, 2014.
2) On February 23, VTAC will be considering objections to the construction of a mosque in Bendigo. The principal group conducting the campaign is known as Rights for Bendigo Residents (Inc) and is seeking donations to pay lawyer Robert Balzola to represent it in court.
See also : Attempted arson of Toowoomba mosque could have been catastrophic, police say, ABC, January 25, 2014.
A message for Socialists turned to the wrong side of the Liberty, Equality barricades. And an image of the new Socialist fascist flag ‘Diametric’.
http : // citizensfirstasnau.blogspot . com . au / 2015 / 06 / a-message-to-socialists-turned-to-wrong.html
Oh how the all so very ‘good’ can and do enable in time and space so much harm and still despite the burning buildings, broken bodies and lives still determine their behavior as beyond reproach.
It supporting a nazi construct of Other you determine yourselves against nazism do really understand how deluded you are? Although a human condition to degree you really have crossed the line first. Congratulations.