MEMBERS of the United Patriots Front (UPF) claim hundreds of Orange residents have called on the far-right anti Muslim movement to organise a rally in Orange protesting the recent opening of a mosque.
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UPF leader Blair Cottrell contacted the Central Western Daily to announce his intention to visit an Orange mosque today to “get to the bottom” of why Orange Muslims need a place of worship.
“I’m sure they’re very peaceful and moderate now but what happens when they expand ... these people don’t want to live in peace,” Mr Cottrell said.
“These Islamic organisations are not recognised terrorist groups but they’re funding other Muslim community groups, overseas.
“We’re not sure if they are [sending funds overseas] in Orange but that’s what we want to find out.”
He said he was sounding out support for his fledging political party with a view to hold an anti Islam rally in February.
According to the 2011 census there were 184 Islamic people in the Orange local government area out of a population of 38,057 which equates to 0.4 per cent.
Mr Cottrell said one of the main concerns he had with larger numbers of Muslim people coming into Australia is authorities have no way of stopping polygamy despite it being against the law.
“They have multiple wives and they’re having multiple children with them, you can’t police that,” he said.
But Mr Cottrell believes the number of Orange Muslims will not stay low and claimed that after a mosque was built in Toowoomba the Muslim population increased by 300 per cent.
Mr Cottrell believes the group could hold a protest rally in Orange similar to the one seen in Bendigo where about 1000 people turned out in solidarity against a proposed mosque.
The rally forced the Bendigo Council to cancel a wine festival worth half a million dollars to the economy and it was reported most protesters were not from Bendigo but followed the movement from out of state.
However he said he was not sure how many people in Orange supported his cause but said the anti-mosque Facebook group, Orange Mosque Watch had about 2000 followers.
“Community groups are fed up in these local towns,” he said.
“Academics and intellectuals and social justice community groups, these ... groups have a great deal of influence over the local media.
“The majority of people are too frightened to speak out against them for fear of being called xenophobic or racist.”
nicole.kuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au
