Prime Minister Scott Morrison has thanked police for their efforts dealing with “ugly racial protests” on St Kilda Beach yesterday, after some demonstrators were seen making Nazi salutes.
Police arrested three people after spending hours keeping participants of a far-right rally apart from counter-protesters on the Melbourne beach.
A huge police operation, involving officers in riot gear and the mounted, canine and aerial branches, maintained order on the beach, despite a number of scuffles breaking out.
“I thank [Victoria Police] for their efforts dealing with the ugly racial protests we saw in St Kilda yesterday. Intolerance does not make Australia stronger,” Mr Morrison tweeted this morning.
“Australia is the most successful migrant country in the world.
“This has been achieved by showing respect for each other, our laws and values and maintaining sensible immigration policies.
“Let’s keep it that way, it makes Australia stronger.”
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten condemned those who “seek out attention by picking on minorities, the less powerful, by attacking in the most vile terms, normally someone who can’t defend themselves”.
“Australia won’t achieve any of what our nation’s great destiny can be by pulling the racist lever,” he said on Facebook.
“The simple truth is this: we are a stronger, better country because of all those who’ve come across the seas and joined their story to ours.”
Victoria Police Superintendent Tony Silva said the afternoon was challenging for officers, but he considered it a “very successful day”.
“I certainly felt that we had it under control,” he said.
“To my knowledge there was no injuries, both to any of the public and also the police.”
Mr Morrison stopped short of condemning controversial independent Queensland senator Fraser Anning by name.
Senator Anning has attracted criticism from a number of colleagues in Canberra for attending the rally.
The politician, who called for a return to a “European Christian” immigration system during his first speech to Parliament, was thanked for being there by rally organiser Neil Erikson.
Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek labelled Senator Anning’s attendance at the rally “absolutely disgusting” and called on the Government not to make deals with him to pass legislation.
“Scott Morrison has criticised the rally — I’m very pleased he’s criticised the rally,” she said.
“He also has to criticise Fraser Anning … for attending a rally that’s been organised by people with a known record of seeking to divide Australians, not bring them closer together.”
Independent senator Derryn Hinch and the Greens’ Sarah Hanson-Young criticised Senator Anning on Twitter, while a number of federal Labor politicians came out against the senator.
Labor MP Tim Watts wrote that the far-right protesters “hate the diverse, inclusive country that Australia has become” and that their objective was “to intimidate minorities”.
“None of us should be silent in the face of this threat.”
