A strong police presence is separating vocal anti-Islam and anti-racism protesters at Sunday morning’s Reclaim Australia rally in Brisbane in a bid to stem violent scenes that erupted in Melbourne on Saturday.
Police are standing between two sides of the racism divide in Emma Miller Place in the old Roma Street Forum.
On one side is a group of young people grouped under Socialist Alliance banners chanting, “Muslims are welcome in Australia”.
On the other side is a group of older people with signs saying they are members of the Patriot Defence League Australia and the Reclaim Australia movement.
The younger protesters are using whistles, loud hailers and megaphones to drown out Cold Chisel, Men at Work and John Farnham songs.
“Say it loud, say it proud, Muslims are welcome here,” the younger protesters are chanting.
On the other side, among the Reclaim Australia protesters are anti-Islam signs.
One sign says the Koran is an “evil book of hate.”
Another says, “Nazis had a Muslim army.”
Police numbers have moved between the two groups as the noise intensifies.