Update (July 29, 2014) : Sadly, Patriots in Adelaide failed to turn up (their clown car broke down); antifascists had a nice picnic and a kick of the footy instead. In Sydney, half-a-dozen or so bozos belonging to Nicholas Hunter Folkes’ support group — a/k/a the Party for Freedom — rocked up outside Woolworths only to be confronted by 10 times as many counter-protesters, promptly lost a number of their placards and leaflets and went home with their tail between their collective legs. Later, an Australia First Party meeting (“Boo international students!”) was picketed and police detained an antifascist after rescuing a suspected neo-Nazi from the crowd. See : A Day of Anti-Racist Anarchy with Antifa, Nelson Groom, Vice, July 29, 2014.

Looks like it’ll be a busy weekend …

ADELAIDE

In Adelaide on Sunday, July 27 the Adelaide franchise of the Patriots Defence League (a splinter of the Australian Defence League) is planning on holding a BBQ at Bonython Park/Tulya Wodli. Joining the Patriots will be some anti-fascists:

Racists are organising a recruitment BBQ to create a network of fascists in SA. We’re organising a counter-meeting on the same day where people who are motivated by inclusiveness and compassion can meet, share food, listen to music and participate in a group discussion on how to tackle issues relating to racial division in SA. Bring friends and confront hatred with humanity.

MELBOURNE

On the same day in Melbourne the Melbourne Anarchist Club is holding a benefit gig for imprisoned anti-fascist Jock Palfreeman. Kick-off is 3pm, entry is $10 and all proceeds are going to the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Association. See also : Continued Assaults on Asylum Seekers in Sofia Central Prison (July 21, 2014) | Free Jock Palfreeman : July 2014 Update (July 4, 2014).

SYDNEY

In Sydney, RASH Sydney has organised a counter-protest in Marrickville.

Racist scum are trying to intimidate & drive out religious minorities from Marrickville, while promoting white nationalism. They have decided to target the Marrickville Woolworths (for the grievous crime of wishing its customers ‘Happy Ramadan’) on the 26th July at 11am. We are standing up against these hateful people to let them know their views are not welcome. The Patriots Defence League are a newly formed group of people targeting religious freedom & culture. They see themselves as a patriotic, nationalist street movement that are ‘defending our beautiful way of life’. They do this by openly expressing their hatred of all other races and cultures. This is not about expressing freedom of speech, it’s about causing fear & division. That’s why it must be opposed. They are targeting a religious minority, in exactly the same way Jewish people were targeted in the last century. We oppose this because unless you’re white, straight & Protestant-Christian, you’ll be next …

The ‘Boo Woolworths!’ Patriots will also be joined by the dregs in the Party for Freedom. Note that Martin Fletcher, the Vice Chairman of the Party for Freedom (a splinter from the Australian Protectionist Party, which was in turn a splinter from the Australia First Party), first came to the attention of anti-fascists when he began publishing Nazi and neo-Nazi propaganda on his website, ‘Downunder Newslinks’.