Carbon tax protesters attack minister

Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese has been grabbed and abused by anti-carbon tax protesters who marched to his inner Sydney electorate office calling him a "gutless maggot".
He was denounced by the anti-carbon tax protesters who marched through his Marrickville electorate, behind a black coffin reading "democracy is dead".
The crowd of up to 200 were riled by his jibe in August that the Convoy of No Confidence - an anti-carbon tax protest by truck drivers outside Parliament House in Canberra - was really a "convoy of no consequence".
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"We are of consequence, we are taxpayers and we have worked hard," Iris Feltham said in Marrickville.
Ms Feltham, a former Labor supporter, said she had never protested before but was so dismayed by the proposed carbon tax that she felt compelled.
"All this is based on a lie. They said there will be no carbon tax. They lied."
Federal opposition frontbencher Sophie Mirabella marched alongside protesters carrying placards that read "WTF has happened to free speech" and "The minister for no infrastructure in a government of no competence".
Another placard featured a painting of a black dog with the word Labor emblazoned on its body read: "Ditch Gillard".
Verdun Walsh said he joined the protest because he was deeply offended by Mr Albanese's comments and wanted his voice to be heard.
He carried a placard saying: "I am 94 years of age, an ex POW, I am not incontinent, I am not of no consequence, I vote, save the Labor Party name, resign now Mr Albanese".
As the protesters moved towards Mr Albanese's electoral office and saw him and a small group of carbon tax supporters, a chorus of boos and jeers began.
One female protester then grabbed Mr Albanese by the tie, saying: "Your mother would be ashamed of you".
After being surrounded by protesters screaming "maggot and gutless", Mr Albanese went back into his office, only to return five minutes later.
"Yelling me down does not do anything for your cause," Mr Albanese told the crowd, amid boos and jeers.
"For a group of people saying they're here to campaign for democracy and the right to be heard, you have a funny way of showing it."
He pointed to a placard that read "Convoy of Courage", saying, "It doesn't take a great deal of courage for 150 people to abuse one".
Chris Johnson, president of the Consumer and Tax Payers Association who helped organise the event, said Mr Albanese did the right thing by trying to talk to the crowd.
"I applaud him for having the fortitude to walk into the lion's den," Mr Johnson said.
"But he didn't fool anyone. He didn't answer any of the questions (about the carbon tax).
Opposition frontbencher Mirabella addressed the crowd.
"Please maintain your right to a democratic say. Please do not ever be intimidated, no matter how smarmy, how sarcastic any member of parliament (is)," she said.
In March, Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott came under fire after he spoke to an anti-carbon tax rally in front of placards with slogans like "Ditch the witch", while one banner labelled Prime Minister Julia Gillard "Bob Brown's bitch.
AAP

I wonder what Albanese thinks would happen when he called protestors as a convoy of "no consequence"

Maqqa wrote on Sep 1^st, 2011 at 9:44pm:



Um.. NOT violence? Saying that someone is of no consequence is NOT a reason for assault and your pathetically blithe "I don't condone violence but..." response is typical of your gross apologism for all things extremist. You're the kind of person to say "I don't condone rape but that bitch was asking for it!". You're a complete disgrace.

Albanese: -"The sort of other signs that we see at this demo; my view is there is nothing democratic about that, just as there is nothing democratic about about the way that you've acted today,".



Nothing democratic?

That IS democracy, Anthony.

The people. Having their say.

So suck it DOWN!

While I don't condone violence - I wonder what Albanese thinks would happen when he called protestors as a convoy of "no consequence"

Is this d1ckhead so out of touch that he can't respect others who wants to protest

Maqqa wrote on Sep 1^st, 2011 at 9:44pm:


He called it as he saw it. Even the organisors would have a hard time describing it as anything other than a flop and keeping a straight face. Just like every other anti tax rally.