Andrew Bolt: Flag-waving Aussies have become public enemy No.1

Around the West we see what mass immigration, multiculturalism and self-loathing is doing to national unity and now, in Australia, we’re monstering the innocent to protect the violent feelings of the feral.

Frank Strazdins and Di Thorley had no idea as they trammed to the city on Australia Day that they were travelling to a front line in a great culture war of the West.

Maybe they should have been warned by the tram’s seats. Some vandal had scrawled: “Burn the colony.”

They got out at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance to watch the 21-gun salute for Australia Day, and had a picture taken of themselves with a smiling gunner. In it, Frank and Di are wearing caps decorated with two Australian flags.

Frank and Di tell me people at the salute – many of non-Anglo background – loved their caps, and took pictures of them.

“I could feel what movie stars are like,” laughed Di.

That was soon to change.

The couple walked past Federation Square and the Town Hall, and were shocked to find not one Australian flag there on our national day.

They then ducked into a shop. Di looked for a dress, but Frank got distracted by a hullabaloo outside and went outside to see.

Frank Strazdins and Di Thorley had no idea as they trammed to the city on Australia Day they were travelling to a front line in a great culture war of the West. Picture: Supplied

That was his mistake.

“There, 100m away towards Bourke St, were thousands of Palestine flags, Aboriginal flags, chanting, singing.”

He’d seen an anti-Australia Day protest. Then …

“Within two minutes, a police officer approached me and said: ‘You are under arrest for inciting a riot.’

“I said: ‘What? How?’

“He said: ‘With your flags on your head.’

“I said: ‘Today is Australia Day and I’ve just returned from the Shrine of Remembrance 21-gun salute’, and he started to walk me off the middle of the road.”

Victoria Police dispute the couple’s claims and say Mr Strazdins was “asked by the officer to move from the middle of the road to the side for his safety”.

Police state: “He was not told he could not wear an Australian flag nor was he told he would be arrested for it or for allegedly inciting riotous behaviour.’’.

Frank insisted he be allowed to go back into the shop and tell Di he was being arrested.

Di, wearing her own flag hat, managed to persuade the officer they had no idea there was an anti-Australian mob out in the street, and weren’t out to provoke them. They just wanted to go for some food and a drink at Southbank.

Di says the police officer calmed down and said they could go if they took their flags off and “cut through the side streets”, like thieves stealing away.

Around the West we see what mass immigration, multiculturalism and Western self-loathing is doing to national unity.

But never have I heard of police threating to arrest peaceful people for carrying their national flag on the national day.

Monstering the innocent to protect the violent feelings of the feral.

Only in Melbourne.