Ian Royall: Booing during an Anzac Day service just ain’t the Australian way
The behaviour we saw at Friday’s ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance was brazen, unashamed vitriol — in fact, we have laws to deal with this sort of extremism.
Opinion
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There are some special sounds that define Melbourne, that are part of our city’s DNA.
The roar of the crowd for the opening bounce at the MCG, the steaming of an espresso coffee at Pellegrini’s, the ding-ding of trams.
Another is not a sound at all. It’s the hushed solemnity of the Anzac Day Dawn Service.
Every April 25, the ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance is a beautiful, poignant event that brings a tear to your eye. I lose it every time at the hymn Abide With Me.
But as we now know, this year’s service was marred by idiots. Just a few, a small minority among 50,000 Melburnians who had risen early to honour all who have served this great nation.
They first took exception to the welcome to country by Bunurong Elder Mark Brown.
MC Justin Smith acknowledged Indigenous including those who had served in uniform. “We’re here for the Australians,” one man shouted in reply.
Even Governor Margaret Gardner’s Anzac Day address was greeted with abuse at the mention of acknowledging traditional landowners.
Most people — the decent ones there — were simply stunned at the brazen, unashamed vitriol. And didn’t want to start a shouting match and further escalate the disturbance.
But in a small act of defiance, one woman called out “always was, always will be” to a modicum of applause.
If you have an issue with Indigenous Australians and welcomes and acknowledgments, this was never the forum for it.
One of the main offenders of all this nonsense it seems was a known neo-Nazi – I won’t dignify him by mentioning his name – who also screamed “you’re a traitor” at an ex-serviceman.
His young acolytes, for whom the process of evolution seemed to have bypassed, joined in the insults. Oinking at police and shouting “hail Ned Kelly” and “death to the police”.
Even I was called a traitor. Dunno why.
One was even wearing a poppy. Go figure.
Normally, I’d say that I support anyone standing up for what they believe in. But these are neo-Nazis. We have laws to deal with this sort of extremism.
We are lucky to live in a civilised society where shouting abuse during a solemn remembrance just ain’t the way.
To quote a great Australian proverb: “You dickhead.”
Originally published as Ian Royall: Booing during an Anzac Day service just ain’t the Australian way
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