ALMOST a dozen anti-Islamic protesters stormed a church service on Sunday morning wearing fake Muslim garb and shouting racial slurs.
About 10 members of the Party for Freedom group, big supporters of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, interrupted the 9am sermon at the Gosford Anglican Church on NSW’s Central Coast and vilified Muslims and linked them to terrorism and paedophilia.
The Gosford Anglican Church congregation is multicultural and Father Rod Bower believed the church was a target for the work it does “building bridges and not walls”.
He said the protest in the church was a violation of their sacred space.
“It was very distressing,” he told news.com.au.
“The congregation was traumatised.”
The Party for Freedom group members loudly played recordings of the Koran and Father Bower said it was a form of extremism.
On the Party for Freedom’s Facebook page, it says it opposes multiculturalism and open borders.
“The Party for Freedom is committed to traditional Australian family values, the protection of Australia’s independence including property rights, true democracy and the rule of law,” it says.
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
“The Party for Freedom acknowledges and respects people who hold these values, who identify with the Australian way of life and who identify as Australian.
“The Party for Freedom rejects multiculturalism, advocates an immigration policy based on cultural compatibility, rejects Islam as fundamentally incompatible with these values and is committed to regaining control of Australia’s borders.”
The party claims its mission is the “make Australia great again”.
The Party for Freedom supports One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.Source:News Corp Australia
The Facebook page has a picture of Ms Hanson, the One Nation party leader who gained four seats in the Senate in the last election, as its profile photo.
The Facebook page also has a picture of Donald Trump supporters.
The Party for Freedom group posted a video on Facebook showing the moment they stormed the unsuspecting religious congregation.
“Islam are here to take over Australia,” the protesters said.
Party for Freedom members who stormed a Gosford church. Picture: FacebookSource:Supplied
Father Bower said his church promoted a multicultural society and we could choose to live in a society that was either functional or dysfunctional.
“It was a violation of a sacred space in the most vile way,” he said.
“Hate-filled people were in the midst of Christians.
“Christians gather together to break bread and reflect of the scriptures and for us that’s an act of love and to have that hate come in was deeply distressing.”
Gosford Anglican Church’s Father Rod Bower said the protest was unacceptable. Picture: Peter ClarkSource:News Corp Australia
He said Party for Freedom renewed his commitment to building a safe and functional multicultural society.
“We have two choices. Learn to live together or die. I want to learn to live together,” he said.
Father Bower believed there was a high level of low level racism in his community and said the act of hate reiterated the importance of section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act.
The law says you cannot say anything which is “reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person of a group of people” because of their race or ethnic origin.
A still of Party for Freedom members dressed in mock Muslim garb. Picture: FacebookSource:Supplied
Some leaders from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party are against section 18C because they believe it’s anti-free speech.
“I support their (Party for Freedom) right to prosecute their particular view but I support the right to do that by setting up and protesting in a part,” Father Bower said.
“To invade a sacred space and traumatise people is utterly unacceptable and indicative of a form of extremism.
“Section 18C gives us a mechanism to at least manage and contain extremism and if we lose that than we lose one of the mechanisms we need to have safe and respectful dialogue.”
The Party for Freedom and the One Nation party have not responded to requests for comment.
About 10 members of the Party for Freedom group, big supporters of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, interrupted the 9am sermon at the Gosford Anglican Church on NSW’s Central Coast and vilified Muslims and linked them to terrorism and paedophilia.
The Gosford Anglican Church congregation is multicultural and Father Rod Bower believed the church was a target for the work it does “building bridges and not walls”.
He said the protest in the church was a violation of their sacred space.
“It was very distressing,” he told news.com.au.
“The congregation was traumatised.”
The Party for Freedom group members loudly played recordings of the Koran and Father Bower said it was a form of extremism.
On the Party for Freedom’s Facebook page, it says it opposes multiculturalism and open borders.
“The Party for Freedom is committed to traditional Australian family values, the protection of Australia’s independence including property rights, true democracy and the rule of law,” it says.
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
“The Party for Freedom acknowledges and respects people who hold these values, who identify with the Australian way of life and who identify as Australian.
“The Party for Freedom rejects multiculturalism, advocates an immigration policy based on cultural compatibility, rejects Islam as fundamentally incompatible with these values and is committed to regaining control of Australia’s borders.”
The party claims its mission is the “make Australia great again”.
The Party for Freedom supports One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.Source:News Corp Australia
The Facebook page has a picture of Ms Hanson, the One Nation party leader who gained four seats in the Senate in the last election, as its profile photo.
The Facebook page also has a picture of Donald Trump supporters.
The Party for Freedom group posted a video on Facebook showing the moment they stormed the unsuspecting religious congregation.
“Islam are here to take over Australia,” the protesters said.
Party for Freedom members who stormed a Gosford church. Picture: FacebookSource:Supplied
Father Bower said his church promoted a multicultural society and we could choose to live in a society that was either functional or dysfunctional.
“It was a violation of a sacred space in the most vile way,” he said.
“Hate-filled people were in the midst of Christians.
“Christians gather together to break bread and reflect of the scriptures and for us that’s an act of love and to have that hate come in was deeply distressing.”
Gosford Anglican Church’s Father Rod Bower said the protest was unacceptable. Picture: Peter ClarkSource:News Corp Australia
He said Party for Freedom renewed his commitment to building a safe and functional multicultural society.
“We have two choices. Learn to live together or die. I want to learn to live together,” he said.
Father Bower believed there was a high level of low level racism in his community and said the act of hate reiterated the importance of section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act.
The law says you cannot say anything which is “reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person of a group of people” because of their race or ethnic origin.
A still of Party for Freedom members dressed in mock Muslim garb. Picture: FacebookSource:Supplied
Some leaders from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party are against section 18C because they believe it’s anti-free speech.
“I support their (Party for Freedom) right to prosecute their particular view but I support the right to do that by setting up and protesting in a part,” Father Bower said.
“To invade a sacred space and traumatise people is utterly unacceptable and indicative of a form of extremism.
“Section 18C gives us a mechanism to at least manage and contain extremism and if we lose that than we lose one of the mechanisms we need to have safe and respectful dialogue.”
The Party for Freedom and the One Nation party have not responded to requests for comment.
