Blair Cottrell in one of his Facebook posts. Credit:Facebook Earlier: Mr Cottrell has previously expressed pro-Nazi views on social media, including advocating hanging a photo of Adolf Hitler in every classroom, has a "locked inner-circle" to protect against "infiltration/internal subversion" of Fortitude, which is yet to appear on Electoral Commission sites as a registered political party, made its policies publicly available on its website ahead of its launch. Claiming to be "the first Aussie political party borne of a street movement", Fortitude supports "an immediate stop on all further Muslim immigration", "cease construction of all Mosques – destroy plans for new Mosques", "cross examination of all members of Parliament/members of the institutions and community groups with significant influence over local government and public education curriculum" and "a federal indictment for conspiracy and treason to be issued to mainstream media organs (sic) suspected of undermining and deconstructing the Australian Nationality". But it appears to have picked the wrong town to begin spreading its message, with Toowoomba community leaders – who have actively taken a stance against xenophobia and racism within the Darling Downs town – working to "deny the group oxygen" at their party launch by ignoring it. Mr Cottrell and his supporters have bragged on their website of the "indispensable" attention counter-protests have brought the group, claiming "its obsessive rantings, lack of emotional control and violent counter-protests have forced us into the faces of hundreds of thousands – or millions – of Australian people who would otherwise have never known we existed".

Blair Cottrell at a rally in Melbourne. Toowoomba's community leaders have refused "to play along", declining to even comment publicly on the event and have actively discouraged any form of counter-protest or movement against the group's party launch on Saturday. "We know about it, but we are not acknowledging it and have asked the community to do the same," one opponent, who asked for anonymity, told Fairfax Media. "We want them to know that they can take their rent-a-crowd, their twisted ideologies elsewhere, that Toowoomba is not the conservative right-wing capital they think it is, that people here, the leaders here, support refugees and that the UFP's views are not welcome here. "Yes, there have been problems and the fire at the mosque [last April] was a bad time for the town, but the town has rallied around its Muslim community. We welcome all refugees. There are isolated pockets, like anywhere, of people who share this group's views but the majority don't.

"The networks we have here are extremely progressive, there is a lot happening here, you don't have to go to Brisbane for the 'wide world' anymore and we are not standing for this. "But we don't have to engage with them, because that is what they want. We have disruptive technology, we have social media and that is what hurts them the most. "How do you best inform people? Not with conflict, but with reason and logic. And that is what we are going to do." Another opponent agreed and said community sentiment was against the group, but in support of the "oxygen starvation strategy". "They get off on the images and news of people yelling at them, of competing protests. Toowoomba says no. To them, and giving them what they want."

Fortitude launch events have also been planned for Orange in New South Wales and Bendigo in Victoria. The United Patriots Front was formed after a fracture emerged within Reclaim Australia mid-last year. Since then, supporters for both groups have engaged in a war of words on social media, creating videos airing grievances and attacking each group, and individuals within those groups. UPF was contacted for comment. Queensland Police Service said it was aware of the proposed meeting of the United Patriots Front in Toowoomba and would "respond appropriately" to any public safety concerns, adding that "police have been communicating with all interested parties and will continue to do so". For independent news coverage, be sure to follow our Facebook feed.