Every now and then, Australia’s racist underbelly appears in full public view:
“New South Wales Police say several people of Middle Eastern appearance have been attacked by a mob at Sydney’s Cronulla Beach.
“Thousands of people have gathered at the beach in response to calls to retaliate for the bashing of two lifeguards a week ago.
“Assistant Commissioner Mark Goodwin says several people have been the victims of racial attacks.
“‘In terms of crowd swells against some people of Arabic extraction…some of those people that have been targeted have been Australian-born people that attend this beach in a quiet and relaxing manner,’ he said.”
Demonising an entire ethnic group – people of “Middle Eastern appearance – has no place in a civilised, multicultural democracy.