A Tasmanian Aborigine has reignited the national debate about flag burning, after an Australia Day protest in Launceston yesterday.
About 100 Aborigines from across Tasmania rallied in Launceston's City Park against what they call "Invasion Day".
After the speeches, Adam Thompson stepped from the crowd and burnt the Australian flag with a cigarette lighter, to cheers from the crowd.
The Australian National Flag Association's Reg Watson has branded the act "despicable", calling on the Federal Government to make it illegal.
"Until it is an offence this type of vandalism will continually happen," he said.
"Those people that burnt our sacred symbol, national symbol, should be prosecuted for that offence.
"It's an outrageous offence and I think it would in anyone's estimation, an act of disgust, and I'm absolutely appalled that they've taken that position."
Mr Thompson says he would not have been deterred by the threat of prosecution.
"I would have done it anyway because it signifies something, and that's for a bigger cause," he said.
"Australians know what it means to Aboriginal people for them to celebrate Invasion Day and they do it anyway, so there's a blatant disregard there for Aboriginal people. And that made us angry enough to do that.
"What else can happen to Aboriginal people? I mean, you've taken our land. What else can you do to us?"
Mr Thompson works for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre as a land management co-ordinator. The Centre has backed his impromptu flag burning.
9 comments:
SCUM, FILTH. HOW DARE THAT ANIMAL BURN OUR BEAUTIFUL FLAG. I HOPE HE BURNS FOR THIS. I HOPE HE IS SET ON FIRE FOR ALL FLAG BURNERS TO SEE. ANIMALS THE LOT OF EM. NOW THERE LEADERS THINK ITS RIGHT AND STAND BY IT. AND THEY WONDER WHY PEOPLE HATE THEM. WE DONT BURN THERE FLAG. ANIMALS ALL OF THEM ANIMALS ONCE A ANIMAL ALWAYS A ANIMAL.
ANIMALS THAT NEED TO BE PUT DOWN.
Gutless & anonymous, you must be a pig. Burning a colonial flag wipe is peaceful in comparison to the racist genocide that Aboriginal peoples have faced. If it was up to me I would make toilet paper out of your flag & wipe my arse with it. The only ANIMAL is YOU, IGNORANT PIG
Oh thats great coming from you Ana you stupid hog. My name is Richard martin verrall the 2nd if you really want to know. And errrr burning the flag is NOT peaceful in anyway due to the fact that people have died fightig for that flag. That flag is a sign of our land and our people. Its a sign of everything Australian. how would you like it if i burnt you flag on your most loved day. You dare call me a animal " If it was up to me I would make toilet paper out of your flag & wipe my arse with it. " yeah words from a true animal. Dont be a retard all your life now. And just to let you know sense you no nothing about histroy. THE GENOCIDE ( wrong word for it ) happend under the english flag not the AUSTRALIAN FLAG. You animal, burning a flag is one of the worst things a man or women could do. So dont you dare call it peaceful. You asshole go get a life. You talk of racist shit when you state you would make our beautiful flag out of toilet peper well fool thats racist. So now your dumb to. Your gutless with your message. ANA unles your a Australia and i doubt you are because no true aussie would say the crap you have STAY OUT OF IT. YOU HAVE NO SAY IN THIS. THIS DIDNT HAPPEN TO YOUR FLAG SO WHERE DO YOU GET OF TALKING SUCH CRAP. like i said before. get a life you animal
Like serious you call me IGNORANT did you even read what you sent. You really are a retard aint you.
How would you feel if i burnt your flag then said out loud " HAY WHO CARES THEY ALL JUST IGNORANT PIGS ANYWAY " you would be pissed of wouldnt you. GO DIE you asshole.
Stupid people should be sent away to stupid camp. A PLACE YOU WOULD FIT INTO GREAT. Your such a fool. Your not even a Australian so why do you think you have the right to say such crap. And if you are Australian like born here well your still not one of us then because your message shows us that.
If you didn't notice the union jack is still in the corner of your flag wipe. Fuck off Fascist
WOW your a fast one aint you. So sense the great union jack is on the flag that gives dirty animals the right to burn it. Hay umm how many people have died at the hands of thoes under your flag. Maybe your should burn your flag to. HAY LETS BURN EVERY FLAG sense every flag has BLOOD ON IT. Your no different asshole so dont think other wise. Nad facist pag WOW yeah dude thats something new. Do you even know what a fascist is. So go burn your flag for all the poor basterds who have died because of it and make yourself feel good ok.
One more thing to fool. You call me racist. Where and please tell me in my message was i being racist. DID i call the Aboriginal people animals. If i did then where did i in my message point it out to me. HAY i even use the word Aboriginal till this message and if so point it out to me. I called the flag burner a animal and all who pack him up animals but i did not at any time call a race of people animals. Do you know the meaning behind thw word racist. i dont think so. i dont think you would if it jumped up and took a swing at your fat ass. Australias national dictionary Macquarie page 812 top of the page LOOK IT UP see i made it easy for you sense you are quite dumb.
Your just one more joker who cant find a way to argue so you play the race card to make up for the lact of point or fact. One more race card player and yopu call me arrogant. Oh and umm by the way Arrogant page 46 second from the bottem. just in case you forgot what it means. No doubt you have.
Oh dear lord Ana is Australian. Thanks for showing us how much you love your flag and your people. SHAME JUST SHAME
I cant believe you people think we are celebrating the destruction of the native aboriginal culture on Australia day. When really celebrating the day Australia became Australia day. We cant have anything can we. Last time i heard aboriginal culture is still alive today. Its quite racist to call Australia day invasion day. We dont call your day of mourning " get the fuck over it " day.
I think we should call sorry day " oh fine we will say it then " day. See if you like that.
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