United Patriots Front

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in Module:Infobox at line 235: malformed pattern (missing ']').

The United Patriots Front (UPF), otherwise known as Fortitude, is a populist far-right street protest movement and Facebook group based in Australia which opposes immigration, multiculturalism and Islam.[3][4] It is a splinter group from the anti-Islamic Reclaim Australia group, formed after a dispute between Shermon Burgess and Reclaim Australia organisers.[5][6] The group has been described as a hate group.[7]

History

2015

In May, UPF led a demonstration in Richmond, Victoria, claimed to be a rally against left-wing violence and Councillor Stephen Jolly, of the Socialist Party.[8] The group has been accused of being extremist, racist, and having Neo-Nazi supporters.[9]

In June, the group protested Zaky Mallah's appearance on Q&A, a television programme, by roasting a pig outside the Melbourne office of the ABC in an apparent attempt to upset Muslims.[10][11] On July 23, Victoria Police commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed a firearm was seized in Sydney from a man who was travelling to the rally on July 18.[12]

In August, Fairfax Media reported that one of the group's leaders, Neil Erikson, was under investigation for alleged conversations with an unknown person threatening councillor Stephen Jolly.[13]

In September, the group announced that they would contest the Senate at the upcoming 2016 Federal election.[14][15] The group also distributed pamphlets to municipal, state, and federal government figures that attacked the Bendigo mayor. The pamphlet was interpreted as threat by one official.[16]

In October, the group beheaded a dummy outside the Bendigo City Council chambers to protest the 2015 Parramatta shooting and approval to construct a mosque in Bendigo.[17] A leader of the local anti-mosque group disassociated from the UPF.[18] They later held a demonstration in Rosalind park which attracted around 1,000 supporters in conjunction with the World Wide rally for Humanity, which was a global anti-Islam rally. A Victorian police officer said that most protesters who came to protest in Bendigo travelled from other Australian states.[18]

On the eve of the proposed 10 October rally in Bendigo, the group was criticised by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who said they "wouldn't be able to spell Bendigo".[19]

In November the group stated their intention to start a political party called Fortitude.[20]

An administrator of the group's Facebook page was featured in a video with Australia First Party chairman Jim Saleam.[21] Blair Cottrell, an organiser, told Neil Mitchell his organisation would "only be violent if they needed to defend themselves".[22]

2016

In April 2016, United Patriots Front was lambasted in the Australian media following the unfurling of a banner with the words "Stop the Mosques" at an Australian Football League match between Collingwood Football Club and Richmond Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 1 April.[23] The media and officials of the sport condemned the UPF supporters, for action described as being "offensive",[24] "disgusting"[25] and "racist" for their involvement with the banner.[26] On 10 April, the banner was displayed at another Australian Football League game in Perth. The UPF members were removed from the grounds and the banner confiscated.[27]

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

Cite error: Invalid <references> tag; parameter "group" is allowed only.

Use <references />, or <references group="..." />

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=United_Patriots_Front&oldid=723208902"