A ‘Straight Lives Matter’ rally held in Sydney on Saturday attracted a meager crowd of less than 20 people.
The event, which was organised by far-right group Party for Freedom to “white heteronormativity” attracted more media, police and counter-protesters than supporters.
The event was held in Green Park just a few hundred metres away from Oxford Street, the heart of Sydney’s Gay nightlife zone, but organisers says the choice of location was incidental.
Organiser Nick Folkes said the choice of location was meant to provoke the LGBTI community.
“Some people have said it’s provocative but we’re just exercising our democratic right to freedom of speech and freedom of location,” Folkes said.
“I have real concerns about not just being about gay marriage, but a much broader agenda.
“We’re acting within the boundaries of law. I do believe we’ve got a right to be there, just as gay people have a right to be anywhere in support of their cause.”
NSW police have confirmed that around 50 counter protesters attended the event.
Alex Greenwich, Chair of Australian Marriage Equality, the group behind the official YES campaign, said the actions of the opposing group were a distraction.
Over the weekend YES campaigners held door knocking events across the country, going from house to house encouraging people to select YES in the postal survey, and reminding people to make sure they took they survey forms to a mail box.
OIP Staff
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