Left-wing groups call for ‘anti-fascist mobilisation’ to take on ‘racist’ August 31 anti-immigration rallies
The organiser of a divisive August 31 ‘March for Australia’ rally has been confronted with leaked audio of her saying “we need violence”.
A group of radical left-wing groups in Melbourne have vowed to “stamp out” controversial anti-immigration rallies planned for August 31, raising fears of violence ahead of the nationwide events that already have police in capital cities on alert.
Organisers of the “March for Australia” movement, which grew from a viral TikTok video earlier this month, have called on protesters to “take our country back” and “stop mass immigration” with rallies planned for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.
The protests have been embroiled in controversy after neo-Nazis from the National Socialist Network (NSN) and its “White Australia” political arm voiced their support, with March for Australia last week issuing an “urgent press release” clarifying it was not affiliated with “White Australia”.
In response, left-wing groups including the Victorian Socialists and the pro-Palestine Sit-Intifada have called for an “anti-fascist mobilisation” at the State Library on August 31 — a few blocks from Flinders Street Station, where the anti-immigration rally is to be held.
“On the 31st of August an anti-fascist mobilisation has been called,” Victorian Socialists candidate Jordan van den Lamb, aka “purplepingers”, wrote on X. “Meet at 11am at the State Library and bring your friends.”
The flyer calls for a “pro-Palestine, anti-fascist march for an Aboriginal and multicultural Australia”.
“On Sunday 31st of August, a ‘March for Australia’ nationwide rally is calling for an ‘Australia’ for the ‘white man only’,” it reads.
“This is a serious attack on Indigenous, Black and Brown people, migrants, refugees and Palestinians.
“The racist rally will be at the same time as the weekly Free Gaza protest, claiming to take back the streets from the Free Palestine movement.
“Gather at 11am for an anti-fascist mobilisation, at the State Library. Rally speeches will begin at 12pm. The march will commence at 12.15pm.
“We need to bring out huge numbers, so bring your friends, family and workmates. Defend the Palestine movement and help us build an anti-racist, anti-fascist coalition that can stamp out the politics of the far right.”
The flyer states that the counter-protest is backed by Free Palestine Coalition Naarm, Campaign Against Racism & Fascism, Unionists for Palestine, Anarchist Communist Federation, The Sit-Intifada, Community Defence Marshalling System and the Victorian Socialists.
“Victoria Police is aware of proposed rallies in Melbourne on August 31,” a spokeswoman said.
“Police are continuing to engage with organisers about their plans and monitor the intelligence regarding this activity.
“We are currently planning the policing response, which will be focused on keeping the peace and ensuring the safety of the community.
“Organisers are urged to continue to engage with police about their plans so we can ensure the protest is conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner.”
Melbourne’s “Free Gaza” protests since October 7, 2023 have regularly been marred by violence.
Last September, shocking scenes exploded at the Land Forces weapons expo as around 1200 anti-war protesters clashed with police, throwing horse manure and rocks, while officers made arrests and swung batons in efforts to subdue tensions.
While the March for Australia flyer insists the event is “peaceful and is not intended to incite hate or violence”, the organiser of the Sydney rally, going by the name “Bec Freedom”, has come under fire after saying in leaked audio from an X Spaces that “we need to see violence” similar to the 2005 Cronulla Riots.
2GB host Ben Fordham on Thursday confronted Bec Freedom with the audio clip, sparking a fiery debate.
“We need violence, I’m sorry, but we need f**king violence,” she is heard saying.
“We’ve done peaceful, peaceful hasn’t done s**t. I don’t think that anything significant is going to change unless something like that does happen again. Until we stand up and do something like that day I think it’s just going to be repeating.”
Bec Freedom claimed Fordham had taken the clip “out of context”.
“The fact is, if we’re talking about August 31, I’m liaising with the police, I’m making sure our protests avoid the Palestinians for that reason because my goal is to make sure everyone stays safe,” she said.
“What are you doing online in forums with lots of people listening in saying ‘we need violence’?” Fordham said.
“Until we hit rock bottom I don’t think everyone is going to see just how bad the state of our country is at the moment,” she said.
“That is what I said, yes, and I’ve since apologised for putting fear into anyone. That was not my intent. It was taken the wrong way. I’m sorry, but all I can say is I’m working very closely with the police for August 31 and I’m trying my hardest to make sure everyone stays safe.”
“So you apologise for making that comment?” Fordham asked.
“One hundred per cent I do,” she said.
Bec accused Fordham of a “gotcha moment”.
“I still don’t think that’s going to deter people, because everyone can see just how bad the state of Australia is,” she said.
“[The police] understand the gravity of the situation. They understand there are counter-protests planned to come and attack. I’ve had death threats, I’ve been told that I’m going to have things thrown at me. We’ve kept police in the loop and they are willing to work with us as much as possible.”
Fordham said there were “a lot of people in this country who have genuine concerns about the record-breaking migration that we’ve seen the country go through in recent years and we talk about it on this program constantly”.
“But I just think it’s going to be an issue where you’ve got a protest organiser who was out there just a few months ago talking about the Cronulla Riots and how we need that kind of violence, even if you said in another breath that you don’t condone the violence,” he said.
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Originally published as Left-wing groups call for ‘anti-fascist mobilisation’ to take on ‘racist’ August 31 anti-immigration rallies
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