SYDNEY, Saturday – Australians have today been reminded by politicians police and the nation’s largest returned services body that racism is strictly prohibited between the hours of 4:30am and 6:00am on April 25 and is otherwise permitted as per the standing national schedule.
A small group of hecklers booed Indigenous veteran and pastor Uncle Ray Minniecon during the Acknowledgement of Country at the Martin Place Dawn Service. A 24-year-old was arrested for what police described as an “alleged act of nuisance” – the technical legal term reserved for racism conducted at an inconvenient time on a publicly televised occasion.
Similar disruptions occurred in Melbourne and Adelaide. The Deputy Prime Minister described the incidents as “deeply disgraceful” which experts say is Canberra for “we’d really rather you waited until the ceremony finished and did it at the pub like everyone else”.
Uncle Ray’s grandfather served in the Light Horse Brigade. Uncle Ray is himself a veteran. The 24-year-old has to date served no known constructive purpose other than standing on the continent. The Australian national character handled this contrast by booing the veteran.
The Prime Minister condemned the behaviour as contrary to the Anzac spirit while declining to condemn the 364 other days on which Uncle Ray gets racially profiled at the shops followed through the chemist asked where he’s really from and refused service at three RSLs his grandfather would have been barred from anyway.
“The Anzac spirit is one of quiet reflection unity and respect” said an RSL spokesperson. “Racism on Anzac Day undermines that sacred ideal. Racism on any ordinary Tuesday is unfortunate but within operational tolerance and we kindly refer complainants to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s 18-month complaints backlog.”
Police confirmed the arrested man will face charges. Similar arrests will not be made tomorrow because tomorrow is not Anzac Day and the conduct will revert to what the nation calls “a conversation we need to have”.
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