By Carla Gorton
ADELAIDE — On May 16, five National Action thugs attacked a Resistance anti-racism stall at Central Markets in the city.
Emma Webb was the only person staffing the stall at the time because another member had gone to collect more copies of Green Left Weekly, which was selling fast. Webb was talking to another woman when National Action approached.
They kicked over the stall, spreading leaflets, books and badges over a five-metre area, grabbed the Green Left from Webb's hands and started waving their fists and threatening her. They told her to "lay off National Action or we'll be back to get you".
Fortunately, a large number of people in the markets came to Webb's assistance. In the recent past, when other Green Left Weekly sellers in Adelaide have been harassed or attacked by National Action, bystanders have been too fearful to intervene.
This time, several anti-racist activists from the Kumarangk Coalition heard the attack and when one of them intervened immediately, other people followed. The National Action members were chased out of the markets.
The following day, Green Left Weekly sellers who returned to Central Markets found graffiti on the wall reading, "No Green Left selling. You have been warned. N.A."
Two Resistance members distributing Green Left in the city mall on May 16 were also assaulted by National Action members. After having been sworn and kicked at, one member was told that he should "act like a real Australian" and the other, a young woman, was told "I'd be sorry for the person who would have to dig your grave".
After the attacks, Resistance members said they would not be intimidated into stopping the distribution of Green Left Weekly on the streets of Adelaide, pointing out that the attacks underlined the need for newspapers such as Green Left which campaign against the right wing.