Anti-racists win in Perth, but fight continues
Hundreds gathered in Perth’s Stirling Gardens on 6 June for an emergency counter-rally against a mobilisation backed by Reclaim Australia.
Reclaim Australia followers had planned to hold a “sex slave auction” performance where women in burqas would be sold off. They were outnumbered by anti-racists who carried banners and placards opposing their Islamophobia. The racists – numbering about 12 – left the park, without attempting their offensive skit.
The counter-rally, organised by United Against Bigotry and Racism, a WA based campaign group, heard from Aboriginal activists, unionists and Muslims about the need to stop the rise of far right groups like Reclaim Australia.
“These are a bunch of white supremacists who are out to demonise and vilify Muslims and minorities”, Ayan Rafhiid-Mohamed, anti-racist activist and member of Socialist Alternative told the crowd. “It is extremely important that everyone here comes along to the next rally to stand up and speak out against these racist bigots, and shut them down once and for all.”
Reclaim Australia is far right Islamophobic group, which has organised rallies across the country, calling for an end to multiculturalism, bans on immigration from Muslim countries and claiming that halal food funds terrorism. Its supporters have publicly encouraged violence against Muslims.
The group is organising rallies in most major cities over the weekend 18-19 July. In April, the last time they organised nationally, Reclaim Australia Perth mobilised many hundreds more than the dozen who turned out this time.
While the success of the counter-demonstration on this occasion was an important signal of our determination to stand against them, we have our work cut out to beat back the rising force of Islamophobia in this country.
United Against Bigotry and Racism is organising another counter-rally in Perth on 19 July when Reclaim Australia will again attempt to take to the streets. We should be prepared for the racists to muster larger numbers than they did this time. It is vital that we build ours as well.
