In the beginning.... Actually, the police presence was much greater than the demo back in 2009 - there were more than half a dozen, and they started arriving around 1.30p.
Shame, ESL teachers, shame.
One more for the grammar police.
The Socialist Alliance was there, which was unsurprising.
How?
I call this fellow hamas boy. At the Town Hall, he's on the truck with the young female who says she's a palestinian, and he urges the crowd to start up a bit of chanting.
Benz againz the wah.
Apparently terrorism is a way of life in downtown Melbourne. Who knew?
The Socialist Alternative was also in attendance. All we need is the Socialist Association and we'd have a hat trick!
Good to see the hezbo supporters standing in solidarity. Also, check out the latest in terrorist chic. The hamas baseball cap. For those who can't bring themselves to go all the way with an arafat scarf.
The back of this sign had a montage of photos from Operation Cast Lead.....
...all from the net according to the fellow holding it, and examples of Israel's perfidy.
What was supposed to be a minute's silence out of respect for the dead was instead requested to be an expression of rage for the oppressed. Orwell would be proud.
Aha, the black flag of jihad. Gotta have at least one of those at any demo, and I could only find one of them this time around.
But that's okay, because we've got plenty of newly minted turkish flags.
Palestine deserves peace. Hmmm.
The march begins.
Now here are a couple of signs I can get behind. These fellows came along just as the rabble moved out. Talk about perfect timing!
The top end of Bourke Street, at the Town Hall. Not the thousands that were hoped for, but still enough to stop traffic and use up police resources.
I wasn't aware that the United States were a muslim country, but there you go. What looks like the flag of Yemen is up there, too. Good to see the United Islamic Nations.
And there's that black flag again.
After the crowd has moved on again. The demo was billed for between 2-4pm. but didn't make it that far.
One fellow even brought his own Freedom Flotilla (tm). I rather like where he placed it to rest. Freudian much?
this female is "Palestinian". Her family got kicked out of Jordan in 1967 and are still looking. Hamas guy is on the truck.
Palestinian lass demands gov't "shows our true Australian values". LOL nothing like a spot of cognitive dissonance on a rainy sat arvo.
Oh dear, threats of more action. Don't these people have lives?
Had to get in a couple of allahu akhbars (with a request for donations for the soundsytem, comrades).
More imaginative chanting for the masses.
