From The Aus:
Australia First told to stay away
By David Crawshaw
January 19, 2006THE mayor of Sydney’s Sutherland Council has warned members of a white supremacist group to stay away from Cronulla on Australia Day to prevent a repeat of last month’s racial unrest.
The warning came after the Australia First Party urged its members to rally peacefully at Cronulla, the scene of the December 11 race riot, to call for charges against accused rioters to be dropped.
In a statement on its website, the party accuses NSW police of failing to arrest people of Middle-Eastern appearance who were blamed for revenge attacks in beachside suburbs hours after the initial Cronulla violence.
“Patriotic Australians should peacefully assemble in Cronulla on January 26 to register their disgust with selective policing,” Australia First’s message states.
“They can demand that, in view of the selective policing policy of the government, all charges against the Cronulla accused be dropped.”
The NSW Government has denied Opposition claims it has gone soft on ethnic crime, and NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney has rejected suggestions Labor politicians instructed police to go easy on Middle-Eastern gangs following last month’s racial unrest.
Sutherland Mayor Kevin Schreiber today called on members of Australia First to avoid Cronulla on January 26, when up to 25,000 people are expected to gather to celebrate Australia Day for fireworks and Opera by the Beach.
Mr Schreiber said Australia Day was a family occasion and he did not want white supremacists inciting racial divisions.
“This is not a day for demonstration and I am greatly disappointed that there are a minority out there who would try to undermine our national day,” he said.
“This council does not support these views and believes our community will rise above their antics for an incredible day of celebration.”
People from all racial backgrounds were welcome to join in Australia Day celebrations at Cronulla, Mr Schreiber said.
Meanwhile, members of the Lebanese community will take part in official Australia Day activities at Paul Keating Park in Bankstown, although there has been no formal event planned by Lebanese community leaders.
Lebanese Muslim Association spokesman Abdul El Ayoubi criticised the Australia First Party for trying to use a national day of celebration at Cronulla to fuel divisions.
“I think they need to stay away,” he said.
“They’re trying to stir up trouble. They’re trying to incite violence between … white Australians and ethnic Australians.”
Mr El Ayoubi said community leaders had urged Lebanese youngsters not to respond to extremist taunts.
“We need to make sure that none of the Lebanese guys take these messages seriously,” he said. “We need to hope and pray nothing happens.”
He called on the Federal Government to consider banning the Australia First Party under its new counter-terrorism legislation.
Comment had been sought from Australia First.
In other interesting developments. It appeared that Aust First’s Jim Saleam plus associated goons tried putting in an appearance at Sutherland Local Court this morning. No, Jim hasn’t been ordering black people’s houses be shot up again, Jim was apparently in attendance to either recruit those people attending court who were charged with racist violence, to anonymously support them or just to stand around outside the court looking creepy in the same suit he has been wearing for the last five years.
