Australia anti-immigration rally sees violent clashes

Several hundred Australian anti-immigration and anti-racism activists have clashed with police in Melbourne in a rare display of violence in a country where immigration is an increasingly emotive political issue.

Police used pepper spray to try to keep the two sides apart after anti-racism activists attempted to keep nationalists from holding their “Reclaim Australia” rally.

Fear of young Australian Muslims being inspired by militants in Islamic State and travelling to fight in Iraq and Syria has underpinned support for right-wing groups such as Reclaim Australia and the United Patriots Front.

“The message is very clear: you come here, embrace our way of life,” Daniel Nalliah, the Reclaim Australia rally organiser told the crowd.

“If you think where you come from is better than where you are coming to, shut up, pack up and get out.”

Prime minister Tony Abbott fanned the flames of the issue when he made blocking migrants trying to reach Australia by boat a key plank of his victorious election campaign in 2013.

Police presence

About 450 police were on hand following violent clashes at a similar rally earlier this year.

Four people were arrested in Melbourne, Victoria state police said.

At a similar rally in Adelaide, police made one arrest, local media reported.

There were no reports of injuries.

More than a dozen Reclaim Australia rallies are scheduled around the country on Sunday, including one at which a member of Abbott’s government will speak in Queensland state.

National Party MP George Christensen wrote on his Facebook page that he wanted “to support people who seek to defend our Australian way of life, our culture and our freedoms from the threat of radical Islam”.

Reuters