NSW: 1,000 rally against racism in Sydney

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2005
NSW: 1,000 rally against racism in Sydney

SYDNEY, Dec 18 AAP - About one thousand people are rallying at Sydney's Town Hall calling
for peace and condemning race-fuelled violence sweeping the city.

About 2,000 police officers are on duty today at Sydney's eastern, southern and northern
beaches to try and prevent a repeat of last Sunday's outbreak of race riots at Cronulla.

More than 900 protesters assembled outside the Town Hall at about 1pm (AEDT) to denounce
racism and what they said was the media's role in provoking the riots.

They said they were also demonstrating against governments' handling of the violence.

Unite Against Racism Rally organiser and National Union of Students (NUS) anti-racism
officer, Osmond Chiu, 19, said today was about uniting in opposition to a racist Australia.

"The riots have drawn attention to the racism in this country," Mr Chiu said.

"I am shocked and appalled by what's been happening, I never fathomed anything of this
scale, that such violent racist clashes, could happen here."

Mr Chiu condemned some media and political leaders who he said may have fuelled the riots.

He was particularly critical of Macquarie Radio for "spreading word about the wave
of text messages this week that urged further race-based attacks".

Mr Chiu also called on Prime Minister John Howard to admit the existence of racism in Australia.

"John Howard, the leader of our country, has denied that racism played a part in the
week's violence," Mr Chiu said.

"He needs to admit that racism played a big part in what happened.

"Only when that happens can we go back to building a tolerant, accepting and diverse society."

Mr Chiu said today's rally was about promoting an understanding and an all-embracing country.

"The rioters have been dividing people into `Aussie', or `Lebanese', but a lot of Lebanese
are born in Australia and have just as much right to be here as anyone else," he said.

"We are all Australians and we should never forget that."

The demonstrators then marched to Belmore Park, in the CBD's south, for another rally.

AAP sn/was/mon/de

KEYWORD: SURF RALLY

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