Clashes Break Out as Anti-Islam Rallies in Australia Draw Large Counter-Protests

Thousands attended anti-Islam rallies Saturday across Australia, with violent clashes breaking out at several protests between opposing anti-Islam and anti-racism demonstrators.

The most intense clashes took place in Melbourne, where police were forced to intervene and separate some 3,000 demonstrators from each other, according to the Associated Press. Four people were treated for minor injuries, and one person was arrested, local news outlets said.

The anti-Islam protests were part of "Reclaim Australia Day," and were organized in 16 cities across the country by the Reclaim Australia group, which stated on its website that the day was meant to protest attempts by minorities to "change our Australian cultural identity." Specifically, the group called for banning Sharia law, Halal certification, teaching Islam in public schools, and the wearing of burkas.

Reclaim Australia protests demand banning of Islam and the Burqa — David Jones (@DavidJo52951945)April 4, 2015

Many criticized the protests as racist and Islamophobic, with several left-wing groups, including the No Room for Racism Socialist Alliance and the Socialist Alternative, organizing counter-rallies. Refugee and Aboriginal Australian activists also attended the counter-demonstrations, which far outnumbered the Reclaim Australia protests in some areas.

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Dear — Kon Karapanagiotidis (@Kon__K)April 4, 2015

Would have been awkward if the 2nd guy didn't turn up — Good Sir Knight (@BrigadierSlog)April 4, 2015

Aboriginal Australians in counterprotest against the racist — CP MacLochlainn (@CPMacL2008)April 4, 2015

The organizer of one counter-rally in Sydney, Clare Fester, told local Australian outlet ABC that the anti-Islam demonstrations are "quite clearly an attack on Muslims and Muslim communities in this country."

"[It's] something I think that's been encouraged by mainstream politicians as well, with [Australian Prime Minister] Abbott attacking Muslim leaders and telling them they need to stamp out extremism that really doesn't exist, certainly not in Australia," Fester added.

Reclaim Australia denied charges of racism, and their supporters said that they were advocating for Australia's traditional values, culture, and democracy.

"We're not against any particular race or any particular religion," Reclaim Australia's head John Oliver told ABC. "We're against the extremists of one particular religion."

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"Most here are happy to have immigrants who want to come and fit in," Rhonda Cashmore, a Reclaim Australia supporter at the rally, told the Associated Press. "We're protesting against immigrants who don't want to follow our laws."

Saturday's protests mark a growing political rift in Australia toward immigrant communities. Many Muslims have said they feel excluded by the right-wing government led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has been criticized for using divisive language and rhetoric when speaking about the Muslim community in Australia.

Anti-Islam groups have also embarked on a campaign to get food companies to stop halal certification, claiming the fees charged for certification are used to fund terrorist groups.

Muslim groups have called on Abbott to condemn the increased incidents of racism against Muslims, such as attacks on mosques and women that wear Islamic head coverings or burkas. These incidents have increased in recent months following the incident in December of last year when an armed Islamic extremist took 18 people hostage in a Sydney cafe.

Follow Olivia Becker on Twitter: @obecker928