Mark Latham blasted after violent clash at LGBTQI protest

Sydney MP labels One Nation’s Mark Latham a ‘disgusting human being’ after violence flared between rival activist groups.

The riot squad were called after more than 500 people turned up to protest outside St Michael’s Church in Belfield where One Nation MP Mark Latham was invited to speak about religious freedoms. Picture: Facebook.

Sydney MP Alex Greenwich has labelled NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham a “disgusting human being”, after riot police were called to suppress a violent clash that erupted at a protest where he was delivering a speech.

LGBTQI+ activist group Community Action for Rainbow Rights was protesting the event at St Michael’s Church in Belfield, in Sydney’s southwest, on Tuesday night when hundreds of far-right counter-­protesters swarmed the group, hurling projectiles at officers, police allege.

Police arrested two men over the “violent confrontation”, which grew to include an estimated 500 people, charging one 34-year-old with encouraging the commission of a crime and a 41-year-old with common ­assault.

The meeting Mark Latham addressed on Tuesday night in Sydney’s southwest. Picture: Supplied

The event had been promoted by the church as a forum on religious freedom and parental rights – which police advised Mr Latham not to attend – with Community Action for Rainbow Rights saying its members had been mobbed by Christian Lives Matter activists.

Mr Greenwich railed against the ­violence, describing Mr Latham as a “disgusting human being” and warning voters against a party that “leads to violence”. “Last night’s violent incident makes it clear that if you are voting for One Nation this election, you are voting for rhetoric that leads to violence,” he said.

NSW Police Superintendent Sheridan Waldau condemned the violence, saying projectiles appeared to have been thrown by the mob attending the event.

Footage from the fracas shows police encircling the pro-trans activists to hold back the horde of black and grey-clad men hurling abuse.

Mr Latham said the duty of police should be to protect the rights of election candidates, not “join the cancel culture movement”.