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Fight dem back · 9 December 2006 · Discussion

Religious harmony in Sydney

From the Oz:

Festival to mark race riot
December 08, 2006

A MULTICULTURAL festival promoting religious harmony among Sydney youths will be held on the eve of the first anniversary of the Cronulla riot.

The Summer Youth Festival takes place at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, and will feature food stalls, folk and hip-hop music, lion dancing, drumming workshops, live art, chanting, art exhibitions and martial arts.

Event organiser, the NSW Community Relations Commission (CRC), said it hoped the festival would promote a better understanding of cultural and religious diversity.

In light of the cultural tensions exposed by the Cronulla riot of December 11 last year and its aftermath, the emphasis of the festival is on Islam in Australia.

“The commission wants young people to work together towards an inclusive environment where the contributions of Muslim youth is showcased and valued,” said CRC chairman Stepan Kerkyasharian.

“The future success and harmony of our society depends on us finding the way to accept religious diversity within our Australian norms and democratic way of life.”

News brief · 8 December 2006

Calm in Cronulla

A warning on this article - those white supremacists who read this site are going to be really pisseed off by this. It’s going to be very funny - “Argh! Multiculturalism! Curse you, Whitlam!”

From the SMH:

No tension ahead of riots anniversary
Jamie Pandaram
December 8, 2006

Riots? What riots?

Nearly one year on from the infamous racial mob violence that brought the worst kind of attention to one of Sydney’s best beaches, locals and tourists say Cronulla has gone back to the future - it’s as though the riots never took place.

“If I hadn’t seen the footage of the riots back home in Canada, I wouldn’t know it happened,” said tourist Chris Rollett.

As American and Asian tourists, schoolgirls of Lebanese descent, and suntanned surfies strolled along the beach yesterday, there was no sign of apprehension with the first the anniversary of the Cronulla riots four days away.

Locals say everyone should feel safe and welcome.

Read the rest of this entry… »

“At the end of the day I don’t see problems happening [this weekend], there are plenty of police here and everyone feels safe,” cafe owner Robert Schroder said.

“I think the day-to-day things are getting back to normal, and people are coming back down to Cronulla and visiting.

“It’s a bit of a headache, there was way too much exposure … it was blown out of proportion. I think it was bad, don’t get me wrong, but if there was no alcohol involved it would have been a peaceful day.”

Police have planned a major operation to prevent violence at Cronulla and eastern beaches this weekend, including the use of helicopters, dogs, highway patrols and hundreds of officers from general duties police, the riot squad and detectives from the Middle Eastern organised crime squad.

Lindy Klarenbeek, born in Cronulla but now living in Canberra, was visiting yesterday with American friend Liz Holzemer and found the “same town” she left.

“I don’t think the town has changed at all,” Ms Klarenbeek said.

“I think in the daytime it feels like a safe place, I know it’s not quite so safe late at night, I wouldn’t wander around Cronulla at midnight on my own … but that applies to females in any city in any country.”

But the reasons behind the mass rally on December 11 last year have not been forgotten.

“It wasn’t between Middle Eastern people and Australian people, it was between people who cause violence on the beach and people who don’t,” Mr Schroder said.

Ms Klarenbeek added: “I think it was something that had to happen, I knew there was a lot going on here … friends telling me their daughters were getting hassled.

“I wasn’t surprised there was a flare up, but I was surprised at how big it got.”

Teenage sisters Michelle and Samantha Tadrous, who live in Revesby, said there had been no “Cronulla bashing” in the Bankstown municipality.

“We love Cronulla, everyone says nice things about it. In the holidays we all like to come down here,” Samantha said.

Michelle added that she felt welcome when in Cronulla: “It’s pretty good, I don’t feel racism, I don’t feel uncomfortable.”

For the past year, teenagers from the Bankstown, Belmore and Sutherland PCYCs have been mixing together under a program called Ride the Wave of Respect.

The Bulldogs Rugby League Club donated surfboards to the Cronulla Surf Club two weeks ago so youths from Bankstown PCYC could use them at the beach, after many members stopped going due to the riots.

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News brief · 8 December 2006

Racial attacks in Adelaide

Oops, this one’s about a month old. From the Adelaide Addy:

Police alert over brutal race attack
CHRIS SALTER, POLICE REPORTER
November 09, 2006

POLICE have told Indian students “to walk in groups” after at least six have been bashed in the past three months. It is believed an inner-northern suburbs gang is responsible for the attacks, which have all occurred in Collins St, Broadview, where there is a high Indian population.

In the latest attack, last Wednesday, Mihir Parakh, 26, lost some of the sight out of one eye after being set on by five members of the gang.

Mr Parakh spent three days in hospital and needed 12 stitches to his head and plastic surgery to his nose after he and a friend were bashed with sticks.

Read the rest of this entry… »

News brief · 7 December 2006

NZ judge accused of racism

From One News:

Lawyers aghast over racial comments
Nov 26, 2006

Auckland lawyers are aghast at comments made by a District Court judge as he denied bail to an Asian man.

They are accusing Judge Thomas Everitt of racism, after he refused bail to a man facing methamphetamine and ecstasy charges.

He said the defendant would be able to get false travel documents, because ‘in New Zealanders eyes people of Chinese extraction or race are difficult to identify, facially and by name’.

Auckland QC Peter Williams says the comments are not acceptable coming from a judge.

He says Chinese people generally come to New Zealand to work hard and integrate.

Williams says the accused man is actually Malaysian rather than Chinese, and has lived in New Zealand for three years.

News brief · 7 December 2006

No Cronulla Redux?

From the SMH:

No hint of Cronulla anniversary riot
December 7, 2006 - 4:24PM

Police have no intelligence to indicate any planned attacks on the anniversary weekend of the Cronulla riot, NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney says.

Police will step up their patrols of southern and eastern Sydney beaches at the weekend, which marks one year since the Sunday, December 11 outbreak of racial violence in North Cronulla.

Mr Moroney on Thursday repeated his comments that police did not expect trouble after NSW Premier Morris Iemma was reported in Fairfax newspapers as saying the opposite.

Read the rest of this entry… »

News brief · 7 December 2006

Cronulla Redux?

From the SMH:

Premier, police at odds over Cronulla
Jonathan Pearlman
December 7, 2006

POLICE intelligence has uncovered plans for attacks on this weekend’s anniversary of the Cronulla riots, the Premier, Morris Iemma, has warned.

But the warning puts the Premier at odds with senior police, who continued to insist yesterday that there was no intelligence suggesting a repeat of last year’s violence.

Mr Iemma told a luncheon in Sydney yesterday that covert and overt police operations had revealed that elements on both sides of last year’s riots - and even from interstate - were planning attacks. “There are people who are wanting another Cronulla - we know that,” Mr Iemma said. “It’s a concern.”

Read the rest of this entry… »

He said police had been monitoring potential troublemakers to prevent a repeat of the violence.

But Mr Iemma’s views differed sharply from those of the Deputy Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, who last week said that there was no hint of any likely trouble.

A police spokesman, Strath Gordon, said he had spoken to Mr Scipione yesterday and the assessment had not changed.

A spokesman for the Premier sought to play down his comments last night, saying Mr Iemma had not intended to suggest there was fresh intelligence of a credible threat.

“The Premier is not suggesting there is an undercover operation which the police aren’t telling you about,” said the spokesman, Todd Hayward. “I think he was speaking anecdotally about [the extreme right-wing party] Australia First and suggestions that there may be groups who want to stir up trouble. There is nothing police are withholding from the media.”

Mr Hayward said Mr Iemma had based his comments on police briefings in September and was only trying to acknowledge that some elements of society might try to stir up trouble.

Police have planned a major operation to prevent further violence at Cronulla and eastern beaches this weekend, including the use of helicopters, dogs, highway patrols and hundreds of officers from general duties police, the riot squad and detectives from the Middle Eastern organised crime squad. In the past year, more than 100 people have been charged with about 300 offences related to the December 11 riots at Cronulla and the subsequent revenge attacks.

Both police and the Government will be keen to show they are well-prepared for any further outbreaks of violence, especially following a report released in October which was highly critical of the police’s handling of the riots.

The report, by a retired assistant commissioner, Norm Hazzard, found that not enough police were deployed and many officers did not know who was in charge.

In a response to the report, a senior commander, Superintendent Robert Redfern, said police commanders at Cronulla had discussed the risk of increased tensions in the area two months before the riots. Mr Redfern said requests for additional police resources had been rejected by senior police management.

â– A man faced a Sydney court yesterday accused of sending text messages that incited others to wage a second night of attacks at Cronulla in reprisal for racial attacks on the beachfront against people of Middle Eastern extraction.

Jeffrey Ismail made a brief appearance before the Bankstown Local Court Registrar. Ismail, 28, of Greenacre, is alleged to have rallied a large group of men to meet at Punchbowl on the night of December 12, through two text messages sent during that day on a mobile phone.

Ismail, who was arrested and charged on November 14, was allowed continuing police bail to reappear on January 31, when he is expected to enter a plea.

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News brief · 7 December 2006

Racist cricket fans to be charged

From the Oz:

Fans to dob in racist chants
By Tim Clarke
December 07, 2006
CRICKET fans have been urged to dob in any racist chanting they hear at next week’s Perth Ashes Test, as police warned a repeat of the abuse heard at the WACA last year would result in criminal charges, not just evictions.

WA cricket authorities and police today issued a list of dos and don’ts for those attending the WACA for next week’s pivotal third Test starting Thursday, whilst confirming Barmy Army trumpeter Bill Cooper will be allowed to play.

Following the racial abuse directed at South Africa players during last year’s Perth Test, WACA chief executive Tony Dodemaide urged any spectators who heard racist comments or chants to report them to police or stewards.

Read the rest of this entry… »

“The ideal situation is that people who come to the ground actually help our security … we want an amount of self regulation that is the best form of control,” Dodemaide said.

“If there are nasty instances that haven’t come to the attention of the security and police presence of course we want people to be able to identify those.

“That stops spoiling the day for others.”

The possible inclusion of Sikh spinner Monty Panesar and fast bowler Sajid Mahmood, whose father is from Pakistan, in the struggling England side could provide targets for any racial abuse.

And WA police Superintendent Duane Bell said any such taunting would result in criminal charges.

“If there are any serious matters we will be laying charges against them,” Superintendent Bell said.

“I will have investigators available for criminal matters and that includes racial vilification.”

Last December, South Africa officials made public an official complaint about WACA fans who directed racist abuse towards Ashwell Prince, Garnett Kruger, Shaun Pollock, Justin Kemp and Makhaya Ntini on day three of the Test.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting condemned the behaviour, and the ICC launched an investigation which resulted in a hardening of its anti-racism directives.

Under the guidelines, spectators caught using racist abuse are required to be ejected from the stadium, charged with the relevant criminal offence and banned from the stadium for life.

A venue could also suffer the withdrawal or suspension of international match status for repeat offences.

Meanwhile, Dodemaide said Cooper and his trumpet were both welcome inside the WACA - as long as his tunes did not offend the people around him.

Cooper was ejected from Brisbane’s Gabba ground during the first Test, and was not allowed to play in Adelaide.

“We haven’t banned musical instruments from the WACA in the past unlike some of our other colleagues in other states, that will be fine but it will be a matter of degree,” Dodemaide said.

“The frequency and when it causes annoyance to other patrons is where we draw the line. We also draw the line at the grand piano … but the trumpeter adds to the atmosphere and that is fine.”

Security measures at the WACA for the Test will include a large police presence, a newly installed CCTV network, strict bag searches and the banning of throwing items, particularly during any Mexican waves.

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News brief · 7 December 2006

Dancing with bigotry

From the SMH:

Baird to Hanson: bring it on
Jano Gibson
December 7, 2006

Liberal politician Bruce Baird has told Pauline Hanson to “bring it on” if she tries to stand against him in his electorate of Cook, which encompasses last year’s race riots hot spot, Cronulla.

Ms Hanson, the former leader of the One Nation party, this week revealed she intended to resurrect her political career at the next federal election.

But in a statement today, Mr Baird said she would have little luck standing in the seat of Cook, which he has held since 1998.

Read the rest of this entry… »

“There are suggestions that Ms Hanson is interested in the seat of Cook for her return to politics,” he said.

“All I can say is: bring it on.”

Ms Hanson, who has previously warned that Australia is being swamped by Asians, provoked outrage yesterday after voicing concerns about Muslims and warning that “diseased” Africans were coming to Australia.

“We’re bringing in people from South Africa at the moment. There’s a huge amount coming into Australia, who have diseases; they’ve got AIDS,” Ms Hanson said.

“They are of no benefit to this country whatsoever; they’ll never be able to work.

“And what my main concern is, is the diseases that they’re bringing in and yet no one is saying or doing anything about it.”

Today Mr Baird said she had distorted the reality of Australia’s migration policies to fuel racial intolerance.

“Among other half-truths, Ms Hanson said we are bringing in a huge amount of people from South Africa who have AIDS.

“This demonstrates gross ignorance of Australia’s migration policies. All visa applicants are required to meet mandatory health and character requirements in order to be granted a visa to emigrate to Australia.

“Ms Hanson will never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Although she believes her role is to be a voice for the voiceless, I believe that voters expect their elected representatives to have some regard for the truth when they make public statements on matters of policy.”

He said her comments on Muslims were “equally regrettable” given the Cronulla riot, which took place almost a year ago to the day.

“After the unfortunate events of 12 months ago, the community wants to move forward. Islam poses no threat to Australian traditions.

“Ms Hanson is simply fanning the flames of prejudice for her own political gain.”

Ms Hanson was elected as a federal MP in 1996 but failed to win re-election to Parliament in 1998 and unsuccessfully stood for the Senate in Queensland three years later.

She served a short stint in a Queensland prison for electoral fraud in 2003 before the charges were overturned, She attempted a comeback in 2004, standing as an independent for the Senate, but failed to win a seat.

However, she was awarded almost $190,000 funding from the Australian Electoral Commission after earning more than 4 per cent of the primary vote.

She plans to release a book early next year about her political life and time in jail.

Mr Baird won the seat of Cook in 2004 with a primary vote of 58.03 per cent.

A candidate for One Nation [NSW], Andy Frew, received 2.13 per cent of the primary vote.

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News brief · 7 December 2006

BBQs in Brunswick II

From the Herald Sun:

Bikini march sparks retort
Mark Dunn
December 07, 2006

MUSLIMS, socialists, unions and other groups will conduct a counter-rally against bikini protesters who plan to march on a Brunswick mosque on Saturday.
Police will monitor the demonstrations, with white supremacists claiming to have infiltrated bikini protest ranks, increasing the potential for confrontation.

Organisers of the “Great Australian Bikini March” had planned to march against the Michael St mosque [next] Saturday, anniversary of the Cronulla riots in NSW.

Though the bikini march has been postponed until Australia Day next year, some supporters say they will still hold the rally on Saturday.

The march has been promoted on white supremacist websites.

In response, the Islamic Information and Support Centre and the Socialist Party Australia are organising a barbecue and mosque open day for Saturday at the same time.

The so-called bikini march, criticised as being insensitive, was designed as a reaction to mufti Sheik Taj el-Din el-Hilaly’s comments on scantily clad women being the cause of some rapes.

Sheik Mohammed Omran, who heads the Brunswick mosque, later defended the mufti.

A mosque spokesman said the theme of their meeting and sausage sizzle was uniting Australia.

News brief · 7 December 2006

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