Protesters to clash outside Julie Bishop’s WA office

Far right and left groups are both set to hold rallies on Friday outside Julie Bishop’s Perth office.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

Police are worried about the potential for violence outside Julie Bishop’s Perth office when members of a militant left group and a far-right political party hold simultaneous rallies sparked by debate over the plight of South Africa’s white farmers.

The Australian Liberty Alliance will present a petition with 50,000 signatures to the Foreign Minister at 10.30am Friday urging her to support calls for persecuted South African farmers to be allowed to settle in Australia.

The party says there is “genocide” occurring in South Africa and Australia should accept the “right” African refugees rather than those who bring crime, a hostile ideology and welfare abuse.

In response, socialist group Antifa has organised its own “non-violent” rally at Ms Bishop’s office in Subiaco to protest against the ALA and to “make it clear that our communities will not co-operate with [Home Affairs Minister] Peter Dutton’s racist agenda”.

Antifa is an affiliation of far-left activists who say they are prepared to resort to violence to silence far-right political views.

In December, the group mobilised more than 100 supporters within an hour to shout down a speaking event in Melbourne by right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos.

Right-wing activist Avi Yemini, who will present the ALA petition to Ms Bishop. said he had been contacted by both the Australian Federal Police and the West Australian police ahead of the twin rallies.

Mr Yemini said he hoped the events would be peaceful and he believed Antifa activists should be joining the ALA’s pro-refugee stance.

“This should be one issue we are all working together on,” he told The Australian.

“They call me a neo-Nazi but I am brown and Jewish.”

In a Facebook message to supporters, the ALA said it had originally planned to present its petition only to Mr Dutton but it had been expanded to include Ms Bishop.

“Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has openly opposed making humanitarian places available for South African farmers, workers and their families facing genocide,” it said.

Antifa accused the 2000 people who attended a rally in support of South African white farmers in Perth on Sunday of being “white nationalists”.

“This is a call to action for everyone who opposes racism, fascism and the deliberate recruitment of racist extremists as a political strategy,” it said in a Facebook post.

“Peter Dutton has provided a means for our most repellent extremists to recruit and assemble. This will not be tolerated.

“Come together on April 13th to non-violently oppose the presence of fascist groups, and to make it clear that our communities will not co-operate with Peter Dutton’s racist agenda.”

The AFP said tonight it was aware of “promoted protest activity at an electorate office in Perth”.

“AFP will work closely with Western Australia Police to ensure public safety is maintained,” it said.

“Any person attending a protest is reminded to be respectful of others and to obey the directions of police.”