RECLAIM AUSTRALIA RALLY SET FOR SYDNEY ON SUNDAY

Kerrie Armstrong

Reclaim Australia protesters will descend on Sydney's Martin Place on Sunday after similar rallies  ended in violence in Melbourne.

The protesters will gather in Martin Place between Macquarie and Phillip Streets at 10.30am tomorrow protesting against what Reclaim Australia calls the "Islamisation of Australia".

In Melbourne about 50 Reclaim Australia protesters were met by anti-racism protesters near Parliament House at 11am on Saturday.

Hundreds of police armed with pepper spray, as well as horse-mounted officers , were called in to break up the violent scuffles between the two groups.

Just after noon about 60 members of the United Patriotic Front joined the fray with one member, Blair Cottrell calling for the Prime Minister Tony Abbott to get involved.

"This is a gathering of Australian people, of Australian votes. Where is Mr Abbott?" he said.

Meanwhile, federal government MP George Christensen​ has confirmed he will speak at a similar rally in Mackay tomorrow.

In a Facebook post he said he wanted to "support people who seek to defend our Australian way of life, our culture and our freedoms from the threat of radical Islam".

"The left-wing Getup! website, community-run, already has a petition on it trying to get the Prime Minister to stop me from attending this gathering of my local constituents," his statement said. "Hell will freeze over before I give in to such intimidation."

Labor frontbencher Richard Marles​ said Reclaim Australia were synonymous with racist behaviour.

"It is extraordinary that a government MP will address one of these rallies and that the Prime Minister is allowing it," he said in a statement. "Tony Abbott should show some leadership and stop a member of his government from addressing and promoting Reclaim Australia events."

Reclaim Australia rallies in cities around Australia, including Sydney, also attracted ugly scenes in April. At that time, police had to intervene in violent clashes  between anti-Islam and anti-racist protesters.

Photo: Reclaim Australia protesters clash with opposition protesters in Melbourne / Luis Ascui

Sydney Morning Herald