Action against racism in WA

Action against racism in WA

By Anne O'Callaghan

PERTH — Action Against Racism organised a picket on August 29 outside a One Nation supporters' meeting at Warwick community hall. Despite only five days' notice, AAR mobilised more than 50 people; only a dozen people attended the meeting.

The following morning, more people gathered outside Wesley Church in Perth to demand justice and land rights for indigenous Australians before marching through the city.

AAR met on September 1 and adopted a charter which states, "No small number of angry people — whether they focus on frenetic lobbying of government or violent confrontation — can beat racism. Only the organised strength of collective action from the communities under attack and their supporters can do this."

AAR also condemned the actions of the International Socialist Organisation, which, after a previous AAR meeting voted to organise a peaceful picket of the One Nation meeting, called its own action to "close down the meeting".

Future plans of AAR include participating in the national day for land rights on September 21. As well as endorsing a picnic by Australians for Native Title, AAR decided to coordinate an action with a Fighting Racism Conference in Fremantle, which is being organised by the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance.

The final panel of the conference will now be followed by a march. The night will culminate with a Reggae Against Racism, organised by Green Left Weekly, to be held at the Kulcha Club.

From GLW issue 289