On Saturday, there was yet another clash between anti-Islam protestors United Patriots Front and anti-racism protestors in Coburg, Victoria.
UPF, notorious for confusing all Muslim people with ISIS extremists and constantly preaching about Australia‘s non-existent ‘freedom of speech’ law, regularly protest about their gripes with the world’s second-largest religion and the people who follow it.
Their opponents, from a variety of left-wing groups, turn up to their protests ideally to show that many Australians do not associate themselves with any hate-speech delivered by many of UPF’s followers, including leader Blair Cottrell – who has been accused of association with Nazism.
Many people wear the mask to protect their identity so opposing members and media cannot find their information and attack their homes, families and jobs (a common occurrence).
Some, obviously, do wear masks in order to perpetrate violence.
Members of both groups of protestors wore masks during the Coburg clash.
The rally on Saturday ended in seven arrests, and large sections being sprayed with capsicum foam.
Today, the Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville today denounced the use of face masks, calling people who used them “cowards”:
“It’s a really disturbing trend that we’ve seen over the last few rallies … where people cover themselves with either a full mask or partially [cover] their face in order to perpetrate violence.We don’t want to see this on our streets. We have, every year, hundreds of peaceful protests in Victoria.There is no room in Victoria for the violence and the attacks that they perpetrated on police … each other and the community.”
She also said that VIC Police would likely issue more arrests today after watching CCTV footage.
Neville will be meeting with Victoria Police’s Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton today to discuss VIC’s response to the violence, and issues including the use of face masks during political demonstration.
Source: ABC.
Photo: Chris Hopkins / Getty.
