Labor Senator Sam Dastyari racially abused by Patriot Blue in Melbourne Pub
A MAN who filmed himself racially harassing Senator Sam Dastyari in a Melbourne pub says the Labor MP gives as good as he gets.
NSW
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A MAN who filmed himself racially harassing Senator Sam Dastyari in a Melbourne pub says the Labor MP gives as good as he gets.
The NSW senator was at Footscray pub Vu on Wednesday when Neil Erikson and others approached him, calling him a “terrorist” and a “monkey” and telling him to go back to Iran.
“Sam’s a strong bloke he’s got a thick skin, he’s been in politics for a long time, “ Mr Erikson told ABC radio on Thursday.
“He called us rednecks, which is a racist term in fact, so look, he gives as good as he gets.
“I think he’s playing the victim a little bit.”
The member of the far-right group “Patriot Blue” was wearing a high-vis Toll Group shirt in the video.
Senator Dastyari said he was “amazed” he hadn’t personally heard from the logistics and transport company about the incident.
“A major Australian company have these people who are proudly wearing their colours, proudly making their own videos of racist and Islamophobic taunts and the company still hasn’t called,” he told Seven Network.
Toll released a statement this morning.
“Toll can confirm that the individual wearing the Toll polo shirt is not employed by Toll, and has not worked for us for several months.”
“The actions of these individuals in no way reflect the beliefs and values of Toll. No member of the community should have to endure the behaviour displayed overnight and we do not tolerate such behaviour at our company.
“At Toll, we celebrate our diverse community and we expect all of our people to behave in a manner that is consistent with our values at all times.”
Mr Erikson told Melbourne radio 3AW he wore the shirt to his “other job”.
Mr Erikson said if Senator Dastyari wanted to go after him financially by involving his employer then he could “go for it”.
“I believe that everyone has a right to freedom of speech,” Mr Erikson said.
Tonight will always be the night that we got harassed by cowardly white nationalists & @TimWattsMP yelled “what race is dickead†#strayamate
— Sam Dastyari (@samdastyari) November 8, 2017
This morning Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said neither a senator or member of the public should be subjected to racial abuse.
He said those in the video should have a “very good look at themselves”.
“That’s not what Victoria is about, that’s not what our nation is about,” Mr Andrews said.
“We need to be respectful of others and always remember that our diversity is our greatest strength.
“It keeps us safer, it makes us more productive, more affluent, more prosperous.
“Frankly, the way those people behaved was just shameful. You would like to think that Victorians and Australians are much better than that.”
Earlier this morning Senator Dastyari said he had felt physically threatened by the group.
“They are the sickening face of white nationalists in this country. What’s happening is our politics is heading into a very, very ugly place,” Senator Dastyari told the Nine Network.
“It makes me feel small, makes me feel horrible, it makes you feel kind of terrible and that’s what they are designed to do.”
Senator Dastyari is considering a legal response to the incident, which may have infringed race discrimination laws.
Islamophobia and racism were getting worse in Australia on both the left and right of politics, he said.
Dasher/Watts 1, racists nil. As it should be. https://t.co/vR2xQfK3GP
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) November 8, 2017
“I worry about all the people out there that have to put up with all this kind of abuse who don’t have the structures that someone like I’m lucky enough to have.”
Senator Dastyari said he was regularly subjected to similar incidents because he was a Muslim. “All of this is the rise of the radical right in this country, it is the rise of One Nation right.”
“These are people who feel incredibly empowered because of what Pauline Hanson has done for them.
“You dance so far to the right that it gives those a little bit further out a sense of entitlement.” He said he regularly is followed by white nationalists.
Pauline Hanson, however, hit back at Senator Dastyari’s claims, calling him a “pip squeak” and a “smart ass” who uses her name to sell his book.
No one deserves this shit. Kudos to @samdastyari and @TimWattsMP. https://t.co/aoJ5rD5U3s
— Senator Murray Watt (@MurrayWatt) November 8, 2017
Senator Hanson said while she did not condone the attack against Senator Dastyari she said it was not the first time he had been attacked in public.
“I wasn’t there. I’ve got absolutely nothing to do with it whatsoever,” she said.
“I don’t think he should be on the floor of Parliament, I think he’s a waste of space and should be a comedian.
“All he ever does is use my name to get some publicity to actually sell his book.
She believed Senator Dastyari was attacked, not because of his religion but because of his character.
The men from the right wing group Patriot Blue filmed the incident and posted it on their Facebook page.
When he called them racists, they replied with: “What race is Islam?” In a Q&A session at Victoria University in Footscray with fellow Labor MP Tim Watts, Senator Dastyari said he was regularly subjected to similar incidents because he was a Muslim. “All of this is the rise of the radical right in this country, it is the rise of One Nation right,” Senator Dastyari said.
“These are people who feel incredibly empowered because of what Pauline Hanson has done for them.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, meanwhile, said he was disgusted by the “ugly” incident. “What is this country coming to you cannot go out for a meal without being abused by racist idiots,” he told Seven on Thursday.
“The actions of these individuals in no way reflect our beliefs and values as a company,” he said. “At Toll, we celebrate our diverse workforce and we expect all of our people to behave in a manner that is consistent with our values and stated policies at all times.”