Hundreds of police failed in their bid to separate opposing protesters, as violence erupted in the heart of one of Australia's most multicultural suburbs on Saturday.
Protesters were drenched in pepper spray during clashes between anti-racism and anti-immigration groups holding counter-rallies in Coburg in Melbourne's north. According to local city Councilor Sue Bolton, the clashes occurred at a park a distance away from a "No to Racism" rally.
The rally was initiated several months ago with the endorsement of the local council, the main body of Australia's trade union organizations, the Islamic Council of Victoria and the organization No Room for Racism. Bolton – organizer of the "No to Racism" rally – told Anadolu Agency that "a far right group that targets Muslims in particular, organized a rally to protest against ours."
Protesters, many with their faces covered, hurled abuse at each other and faced off, despite swarms of police in riot gear, including officers on horseback, forming barricades to try to keep the two groups apart.
Speakers included a Muslim woman who had been attacked on a train on two occasions, Aboriginals and refugees from Afghanistan. Police predicted two days before that violence would erupt between the two opposing rallies, and urged people not to allow children to attend.
Speaking to media on Saturday afternoon, Commander Sharon Cowden of the Melbourne Police noted that she had predicted the violence. "We saw inappropriate and often cowardly behavior with people wearing masks and hiding their identity, and we actually believe that in these circumstances they're not coming to a peaceful protest. We have some people who try and do the right thing... they want to come along and have a rally and want to protest and have their say peacefully, and then you get the extreme ends where people come along and all they want is a fight."
Five people were arrested for riotous behavior, and two for possession of weapons. Anti-racism protesters chanted "Nazis off our streets," while right-wing demonstrators shouted "the Left is going down," according to a report in The Age. Victoria Police said both sides were to blame for the violence.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has said that around one in five Australians say they have experienced racial hatred, such as verbal abuse, racial slurs or name-calling. More than one in 20 Australians say they have been physically attacked because of their race. Coburg is considered to be one of the most multi-cultural suburbs of Australia. It has a large Greek and Italian presence, and in recent years many people with Arabic backgrounds have settled there.
In recent years, Islamophobia and xenophobic sentiments have been increasing not only in Australia, but also in Europe and around the world with racially-motivated attacks on mosques in several European cities and large demonstrations against the Muslim population. Australia has been under criticism for a harsh immigration policy, under which asylum-seekers attempting to enter Australia by boat are being sent to camps in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, where they are held while their refugee applications are processed. They are then blocked from resettlement in Australia, even if found to be refugees.

DS