Queensland Muslims say they are fearful and have requested police protection after a New Zealand far-right activist scheduled a pro-Israel protest for the same central Brisbane location – but an hour earlier – than a planned pro-Palestine rally on Sunday.
The “Anzacs” rally in Brisbane is being promoted by Brian Tamaki, who is the founder of Destiny Church and has a history of Islamophobic comments.
The location of the pro-Palestine protest has since been moved, prompting Tamaki’s website to boast “the Pro-Palestine/Hamas rally has retreated”.
Susan Al-Maani, a Palestinian woman and member of the Free Palestine movement, said she was worried about pro-Palestine activists showing up at the wrong location.
“I’ve been quite anxious and stressed,” she said. “Our rallies are family events.”
In a post on social media about the event, Tamaki said his event would include 200 men performing the haka and a speech from the far-right Jewish figure Avi Yemini. They organised a similar counter-rally in Auckland last week.
The protest is separate and independent from rallies that have been organised by Queensland’s Jewish community.
Al-Maani said about 30 of Tamaki’s supporters, including his son who lives in Brisbane, were escorted away from a Brisbane pro-Palestine event last weekend after they showed up and performed a haka when their pro-Israel rally had ended.
“I was there last Sunday and they came … I was absolutely terrified for my safety and for the children and the elderly people there,” she told Guardian Australia.
“It’s a form of intimidation and putting fear into people.”
In 2019, Tamaki wrote on Facebook that New Zealand “can not accept the proliferation of Islam in our country”.
“We can not … think just because you’re tolerant, accepting and inclusive that we won’t end up like Great Britain, South East Asia and most of Europe with violence, loss of the host country’s identity, their values and culture destroyed and Sharia Law enacted,” he said.
Tamaki also criticised the decision to broadcast the Islamic prayer across New Zealand after the Christchurch terrorist attack in which 51 people were killed.
Later, in an interview with Al Jazeera, Tamaki said the actions of the shooter were a result of a “clash of cultures” and said Muslims needed to “respect the host country”.
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (Aman) has requested the immigration minister, Andrew Giles, urgently review Tamaki’s visa under character grounds.
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In a letter to Giles, Aman claims Tamaki’s views and recent actions “constitute a direct breach of the character test’s requirements” and there is a risk “he would vilify a segment of the Australian community”.
The group raised concerns about Tamaki’s potential to “incite discord … or represent a danger to the Australian community”.
Aman has also sent letters to Queensland police requesting they protect pro-Palestine attenders and ensure Tamaki and his supporters do not intervene in their event.
Brisbane city council has also been contacted by the advocacy group about its concerns.
A Queensland police spokesperson said the force was “aware” of the protests and had “engaged with organisers of both events which have been organised separately and in different locations”.
“While we respect the right for anyone in Queensland to protest peacefully, violence of any kind will not be tolerated. Police will act swiftly if any acts reach a criminal threshold.
“As with similar rallies, police will have a strong police presence to ensure public safety, manage any traffic impacts and respond to any incidents as required.”
Tamaki, the federal immigration minister and Brisbane city council have been contacted for comment.