'Get out of our country!': 'Yes' campaigner filmed hurling racial abuse at 'no' voter while pulling down signs
A same-sex marriage supporter has been caught hurling racial abuse at a 'no' voter as he filmed her pulling down “It’s OK to say no” signs from a Sydney roadside.
Video shows the young woman picking up signs at King Georges Road in Sydney's west and then telling the man filming her to "go back to la la la la la Arabland".
The footage posted on Sydney radio host Ray Hadley's Facebook page shows the woman swearing and demanding the remaining signs from the "no" campaigner as the pair argue on the edge of the busy intersection.
The woman was seen taking down signs. Source: Facebook/Ray Hadley
The woman hurled abuse at the man recording the video. Source: Facebook/Ray Hadley
"Give me those signs," the woman demands as she moves on the man and grabs at the signs.
But the man, known only as Alan, refuses and replies: "You've done well, that will do.”
The woman told the man to "go back to his own country". Source: Facebook/Ray Hadley
The woman repeatedly asks for the man to give her the signs and says she is not "threatening him" and she only wants the signs.
"You're double the size of me," she says.
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Another "no" supporter arrives. The woman moves on while yelling racial abuse at the two men, telling him to "go back to la la la la la Arabland".
"You want to change our country, go change your own f***** up country, get the f*** out of ours.”
The woman tried to get the signs from the man's hands. Source: Facebook
Alan told Ray Hadley he was born and raised in Australia and has been putting up the signs along that road for the past couple of weeks.
“I was a bit concerned about her safety because she seemed really erratic and over the top,” he said.
“That’s the kind of stuff we get all the time ... We love and respect all people, this is a debate ... to be vilified and to be chased around. She literally chased me around.”
Malcolm Turnbull insists 'majority of Australians are civil'
Malcolm Turnbull said the vast majority of Australians have dealt with the same-sex marriage survey civilly and respectfully - including Tony Abbott, who has made it no secret of his stance on the issue.
The prime minister acknowledges that a "tiny percentage" have behaved poorly but says it's part of a democracy and giving people a say.
"There are people that say mean things and do mean things, and do illegal things but we still have elections," he said
"This survey doesn't have a precedent, it's new, but it is democratic and the vast majority of Australians have embraced it with enthusiasm."
Mr Turnbull said most Australians have been civil. Source: AAP
Mr Turnbull said he didn't agree with Mr Abbott's push to ban American rapper Macklemore from singing a gay anthem at Sunday's NRL grand final.
Such a view was inconsistent with the liberal approach to free speech but nevertheless, was expressed "civilly" by Mr Abbott.
"There have been a few ugly incidents in the debate about legalising same-sex marriage but the vast majority of people - 99.999 per cent - have dealt with this issue respectfully and civilly as Australians do."
Mr Abbott's latest intervention was echoed by North Queensland MP Bob Katter, who accused the NRL of using the decider to "promote their sexual proclivities".
Tony Abbott said Macklemore shouldn't perform at the NRL grandfinal. Source: AAP
"That is an insult and an offence to every single follower of rugby league in this country," he said.
Attorney-General George Brandis labelled Mr Abbott's stance "bizarre", while Macklemore himself said he was going to "go harder" amid the furore.
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said he doesn't regret choosing the rapper, labelling it one of the bravest decisions the league has made for pre-match entertainment.
