Sydney: Police and officers on horseback clashed with anti-racism protesters trying to march through Sydney in a show of defiance against an anti-Islam gathering 200 metres away.
The rival rallies were held Sunday at either end of Martin Place in central Sydney and coincided with similar events around the country, a Sydney Morning Herald report said today.
At one end of Martin Place, supporters of the Reclaim Australia group gathered as part of a national day of protest, many of them holding anti-Islam signs.
A counter-rally of socialists, green groups, and those identifying with Muslim and Aboriginal causes occurred at the other end.
Police attempted to keep a gap of about 100 metres between the two groups.
Reclaim Australia founder Catherine Brennan told the crowd the group was founded to "stand up to political correctness and the threat of home-grown terror in our beautiful nation".
After the anti-racism rally, which was held in opposition to the Reclaim Australia protest, some demonstrators marched down Macquarie Street and walked into a police line chanting slogans, an ABC News report said.
Officers surrounded the group and a number of scuffles broke out. Police led a few people away for disturbing the peace.
In Melton, west of Melbourne, police arrested six people as counter-demonstrators confronted Reclaim Australia protesters.
QNA
