A Leichhardt council meeting in Sydney was disrupted by four members of the fascist Party for Freedom in late November.
The fascists were opposed to the funding of a refugee welcome centre and accommodation in the disused buildings of Callan Park, Rozelle.
In a classic piece of Nazi NIMBYism, their placards read “We don’t want Islamic State refugees in Rozelle”, and “Hands off Callan Park! We don’t want Muslim jihadis in Rozelle”. The fuehrer of this little band, Nick Folkes, lives in Rozelle.
“These lunatics in the Labor and Greens want to bring in these Muslim asylum seekers and resettle them right on the harbour”, he said.
The Islamophobes singled out Labor councillor Simon Emsley in their chants. Emsley had moved a motion calling on state and federal governments to “contribute significantly to the absorption of the Syrian/Iraqi refugee intake and provide permanent infrastructure supporting the arrival of refugees”.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the fascists’ puny efforts that resulted in the motion being defeated.
Greens councillors sought to include a call for an end to mandatory detention and condemnation of offshore processing in the motion. Given the ALP’s support for these policies, the Labor councillors would not accept the amendment.
Not getting their way on this, the Greens then sided with Liberal and independent councillors in voting down the Labor motion.
