Parramatta anti-Muslim protests fall flat
Police are out in force tonight to prevent more violence on the streets of Parramatta a week after a teenage terrorist shot dead police accountant Curtis Cheng.
Anti-Muslim groups were expected to descend on the mosque where gunman Farhad Jabar prayed but their protests have failed to attract a crowd.
The organiser says he is not disappointed with the turnout but clearly it is way down on what they would have been hoping for.
Bad traffic was one excuse given.
Police said anywhere up to 400 people could show.
Instead there were barely more than two dozen, outnumbered five to one by officers who were taking no chances.
And their voices were drowned out by pro-Muslim protestors down the road.
Police set up a 100 metre exclusion zone on Marsden Street outside of Parramatta Mosque.
“We’re separating the crowds to ensure that the assemblies are actually safe and peaceful,” Superintendent Wayne Cox said.
“We don’t want Islam in Australia. No more Islam and no more multiculturalism,” anti-Islam protestor Nick Folkes said.
Counter-protestors told 7 News they thought their city would rise above the message of the anti-Islamic crowd.
“Sydney is better than this,” Glenn Carruthers said.
“It’s better than the divisions that some people want us to feel. “
Among them was former terror suspect Zaky Mallah who also attacked the right wing group.
“These guys should be charged with acts of terrorism, and thrown into prison and locked up for life,” he said.
The anti-Muslim protestors hit the streets early outside of police headquarters where Curtis Cheng was killed.
“Islamic ideology is not accepted in Australia, it’s contrary to our way of life,” one protester said.
The protestors were taken away, along with their banners soon after.
Fifteen-year-old gunman Farhad Jabar prayed at Parramatta mosque before carrying out his act of terror exactly one week ago.
It is also where he reportedly listened to radical preaching from extremist group Hizb-ut-Tahrir.
Police rejected the application to hold a protest at the mosque today but prepared for the worst, closing surrounding government buildings early and threatening to arrest and charge anyone who caused trouble.
The mosque’s chairman Neil El-Kadomi lashed out at the media on Monday. Today he pleaded for calm in a sermon to hundreds of worshippers.
“Any act of violence, regardless of motivation will not be tolerated,” he said.
He had this message for any Muslims who disagree: “Get out because we do not need scumbags in the community.”
