By Emma Webb
ADELAIDE — "Let's get angry about racism; let's also get angry about the public service cuts and unemployment that cause racism." These were the words of Frank Barbero of the Ethnic Communities Association, speaking to a 1000-strong anti-racist rally on Saturday, April 9.
The rally was a response to the activities of the ultraright-wing organisation National Action. On March 26, 20 neo-Nazis wearing skinhead-style "uniforms" goose-stepped through the city shouting "Sieg heil" and "Heil Hitler", assaulting at least five people and knocking an Asian man unconscious.
National Action then called a rally for April 9 outside Prospect Town Hall to protest against the proposed Racial Vilification Act. At only two weeks' notice, the Anti-Racism Alliance (ARA) organised 1000 counter-demonstrators around the central slogan, "Migrants are welcome, racists are not".
Residents, unionists and other progressive activists mobilised at a park a block down the road from the Town Hall, where around 50 people had turned up for the National Action rally.
Sally Biddle, speaking on behalf of ARA, said, "National Action are not going to go away if we ignore them. Today is not a finishing point; it is a starting point for the community to stand up and say no to National Action and racism."
Alan Harris, one of the Prospect councillors who opposed National Action's application to hold its rally outside the town hall, spoke of the Prospect community's opposition to racism, saying that all human beings have a right to live in Prospect. He also mentioned National Action's use of the Eureka flag, pointing out that it was not a symbol of racism but traditionally a symbol of unity. "It belongs to all people in this country", he said.
Other speakers included Sandy Saunders, director of the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement and Anita Hood, from the Flinders University Student Association.
During the two week build-up, a lot of media coverage was given to both rallies. Premier Dean Brown called for people to stay home and not go to the counter-rally.
Davey Thomason from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Engineering Union said: "Unions need to educate their members that unemployment is the fault of the free market system, not the fault of migrants. Migrants have been part of building the standard of living of workers in this country and have taken leading and active roles in the history of struggle for workers' rights in this country."
National Action have organised another rally for April 30, and ARA will also organise protest activities on that day. For more information, phone Andrew on 231 6982.