The sinister black balloons started appearing in Bendigo in May. Then 10 days ago, a cluster of them were tied to the home and business of a local councillor who supports the building of a controversial mosque. The councillor, Mark … Continue reading
The Online Hate Prevention Institute has just published a useful report into the abuse of Facebook by the Stop the Mosque in Bendigo campaign to whip up anti-Muslim hatred, including explicit threats of violence.
A Bendigo councillor has had black balloons hung outside his house as part of a campaign against plans to build the city’s first mosque. Councillor Mark Weragoda said his Sri Lankan heritage has been targeted in reaction to the council’s … Continue reading
A Victorian council has approved the construction of a $3 million mosque in the regional centre of Bendigo despite fierce opposition from local residents. More than 200 protestors packed a City of Greater Bendigo meeting on Wednesday night, heckling councillors, … Continue reading
Michael Safi asks: How did a local planning decision catapult the Victorian town into the heart of the debate over Islamaphobia in Australia? Guardian, 27 June 2014
Bendigo has become a rallying point for a loosely affiliated network of right-wing and anti-Islamic groups providing cash and support for the fight to block the city’s first mosque. The Bendigo campaign, which included the spread of black balloons, is … Continue reading
A UK adviser to opponents of a proposed mosque in Bendigo is known as a “mosque-buster” who boasts of his record of using planning laws to block mosque applications. Gavin Boby, a British planning lawyer and director of the Law … Continue reading
The anti-Islam group that brought controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders to Australia has emerged as a key force behind protests against the building of a mosque in Bendigo. The goldfields city has faced a surge of anti-Islamic sentiment following last … Continue reading
A new Facebook page aims to stop the construction of a mosque in Bendigo. The Stop the Mosque in Bendigo page has attracted more than 1700 likes since being created on Saturday. The administrators of the group did not respond … Continue reading
The City of Greater Bendigo has joined the “Racism. It stops with me” campaign, in light of recent events in Bendigo. City of Greater Bendigo mayor Barry Lyons was contacted by the Australian Human Rights Commission to join the campaign, which invites all … Continue reading