City building mosques despite violent far-right rallies

AS VIOLENT anti-Islam and anti-mosque protests tear through Australia, one community has made a stand to end the hatred.

THE ugly violence at an anti-Islam rally in Melton this weekend mimics exactly what happened three months ago in another Victorian community.

Bendigo’s name became a byword for extremism as the nation watched protesters from the left and right break through police barriers, throw punches and hurl missiles during an anti-mosque protest organised by the United Patriots Front in August.

So the city decided to take a stand, rescuing its image, restoring harmony — and pushing ahead with plans for a $3 million mosque. Campaigners hope Bendigo can become a model for other towns that want to beat the racism far-right activists are spreading through Australia.

“Bendigo was targeted by extremists, rallies were held and we received a lot of negative press,” campaign leader Margot Spalding told news.com.au.

“The reputation of Bendigo was trashed nationally. Its reputation became about violent rallies. If you were thinking of coming here to live or work, you certainly wouldn’t.”

To her delight, the businesswoman found other prominent figures in the education, business and the wider community shared her desire.

“We were all thinking the same. People had been very quiet until then, thinking the nonsense would go away. I thought it was time to stand up.”

The city is now fighting to drown out the extremist voices, and hopes to become a model for other towns.

The 62-year-old former Telstra Business Woman of the Year started a campaign called ‘Believe in Bendigo’, with 120 organisations paying for adverts in local newspapers condemning extremism. They organised a nine-day picnic attended by thousands in the same area as the hate-filled rallies, a diversity education program and, most recently, a series of community meals.

Margot, who employs three Afghan refugees at her multimillion-dollar furniture company Jimmy Possum, has received hate mail since the campaign began and her home has been put under police surveillance. “I find it extraordinary how it becomes so personal,” she says. “We discussed that it was likely to happen, but I can’t bring up my kids to believe something and not stand up for it. I’m resilient. I don’t like seeing people bullied.”

Muslims in Australia have come under fire for not loudly speaking out against the global violence in the name of Islam in the Middle East and now Paris, but “they’re quiet people”, says Margot.

“The anti-Islamic, anti-mosque sentiment has been exacerbated because of what’s happening in the Middle East. What’s happening is appalling but the Muslim community thinks so too.

“People get nervous, too. If leaders come out they have leverage and influence, they empower people.”

The former Telstra Business Woman of the Year says Australia’s reputation is being trashed.

She says this unfair targeting of a group is not new for Australia. “I’ve seen what happened to Vietnamese people in the 1970s and 1980s, it was shocking what happened to their community and look what they’ve contributed. Hungarians, Polish people, Germans have been targeted. Jewish people have been persecuted for decades. It makes me wonder who will be next.”

In the meantime, plans for Bendigo’s mosque are moving forward after anti-Islam campaigners lost a Supreme Court bid to halt the development in September, but there were still isolated clashes at a rally against the project last month. Police had warned that “hardcore” protesters were travelling interstate to stir up trouble.

Then-mayor Peter Cox admitted it was disappointing to see another anti-Islam rally, while Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said it was organised by “outsiders in every sense of that word.”

But Margot and her fellow campaigners remain firm. “Bendigo was being battered and now we have more positive views,” she said. “We don’t profess to be able to solve terrorism and anti-Islamic sentiment worldwide, but we understand our community very well. We empathise with Melton, it’s very unpleasant, to say the least.

“I’d like Bendigo, Victoria and Australia to be a welcoming place for people who are different. Australia’s reputation is being trashed.”

Email [e-mail] or tweet @emmareyn and @newscomauHQ to have your say.

Margot appears on Australian Story: A Force of Nature tonight at 8pm on ABC.