MELBOURNE Archives

Australia, Melbourne cancels Christmas event after car crashes into crowd

December 21, 2017 By administrator

Australian Melbourne’s authorities canceled the Christmas light projections after car crashed into pedestrians, Daily Mail reported.

“Following the distressing event that occurred on Flinders Street, we’ve cancelled tonight’s Christmas Projections across all sites in the city and Docklands. Our thoughts go out to everyone who was impacted,” Melboune’s administration tweeted.

The car crashed into a crowd in Melbourne on December 21, injuring at least 14 people. The Police are investigating the incident. The driver of the vehicle and a second person were arrested.

Four pedestrians hit by the vehicle were fighting for their lives in hospital tonight local time and 15 were in a stable condition.

The pre-school aged child was not in a critical condition but remained in the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Seven victims were in the Royal Melbourne Hospital, including two in a critical condition.

Nine people were taken to The Alfred hospital, including two who were critical.

Two people were in St Vincent’s Hospital, including the driver.

Police said the case was a “quarantined” incident and had not increased the risk at major upcoming events like the Boxing Day test between Australia and England next week.

Earlier, England Cricket had tweeted: “Following the Flinders Street incident in Melbourne, all England players and management have been accounted for and are safe.”

Police arrest five over alleged Anzac Day terrorism plot

April 18, 2015 By administrator

attack on Anzac Day. Photograph: Julian Smith/AAPIMAGE

Sevdet Besim, 18, of Melbourne, charged with planning terrorist act as four others are held after early morning raids

A teenager accused of conspiracy to commit a terrorist act has been remanded in custody after early morning raids in Melbourne in relation to an alleged plot to attack police at Anzac Day events in the city. Report The guardian

Sevdet Besim, 18, from the suburb of Hallam, appeared at a brief hearing in the Melbourne magistrates court on Saturday charged with preparing, or planning, a terrorist act. He did not apply for bail, though his lawyer, Anthony Malkoun, indicated there would be a future application, and was remanded in custody for a filing hearing on 24 April.

Besim was one of five men arrested during counter-terrorism raids on Saturday morning in relation to alleged plans to carry out Islamic State-inspired attacks against police at events to mark the centenary of the landings at Gallipoli during the first world war.

The prime minister, Tony Abbott, urged Australians to attend Anzac Day commemorations in their numbers. “The best thing you can do in the face of those who would do us harm is to live your life normally,” he said.

An 18-year-old from Hampton Park was also expected to be charged with offences relating to preparing for a terrorist act, Australian federal police acting deputy commissioner Neil Gaughan told reporters.

A third 18-year-old, from Narre Warren, was arrested on weapons offences, while two more Narre Warren men, aged 18 and 19, were in custody assisting police.

Australia’s government has raised the country’s terror warning level in response to the domestic threat posed by supporters of the Islamic State group. In September last year, the group’s spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, issued a message urging attacks t be carried out abroad, specifically mentioning Australia.

More than 200 police were involved in the raids across Narre Warren, Hampton Park, Hallam and Eumemmerring at about 3am. Police were still at a number of properties in those areas on Saturday afternoon.

Victoria police acting chief commissioner Tim Cartwright said three of the five men had been treated for minor injuries received during the morning raids.

SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, Two Events Featuring Genocide Denier Professor Justin McCarthy, has been Canceled

November 21, 2013 By administrator

Jewish body adds voice against Genocide denier McCarthy

SYDNEY, MELBOURNE—Professor Justin McCarthy, a well funded denier of the Armenian Genocide, has had two planned events in Sydney and Melbourne canceled on the grounds of his unwelcome denialist views.

McCarthy was due to address audiences at the University of Melbourne and at the New South Wales Art Gallery this week, however, each institution revoked McCarthy’s opportunity after learning of his abhorrent denialist views on the Armenian Genocide.

Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), Vache Kahramanian welcomed the independent decision taken by both institutions.

“Justin McCarthy’s views have no place in Australia and no institution or venue should ever allow a genocide denier to utilise their stage,” said Kahramanian.

“Genocide denial is the final act of genocide against victims and surviving generations. As a proud multicultural nation we should never allow the denigration of the memory of victims of genocide,” Kahramanian added.

McCarthy is due to address a private gathering in Parliament House, Canberra, on November 21st.

ANC Australia has written to all Members of Parliament, informing them of McCarthy’s denalist views and to ensure they do not allow Parliament House to be used as a platform for McCarthy’s denialist views.

Jewish body adds voice against Genocide denier McCarthy
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) has released a powerful statement expressing their deep concerns of Professor Justin McCarthy’s upcoming address in Parliament House, Canberra.

In a media release dated 20 November 2013, the ECAJ accepts the “overwhelming view of history scholars that the killing of hundreds of thousands of civilians in these communities was done with genocidal intent.”

The release goes on to address the issue of McCarthy’s upcoming event at Parliament House on 21 November, which the ECAJ says, will mean the institution is “lending his theories the misleading appearance of official approval. In our view, no part of Parliament House should be misused in this way.”

Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), Vache Kahramanian stated: “We thank the Executive Council of Australian Jewry for their principled position on this important matter. Venues such as Parliament House should never allow genocide deniers to have a stage.”

McCarthy was due to speak at events at the University of Melbourne and the New South Wales Art Gallery but were both canceled by the respective institutions upon learning of McCarthy’s denialist views on the Armenian Genocide.

ANC Australia has written to Laurie Ferguson MP, who booked the venue in Parliament House for the event, to immediately withdraw his name and revoke access to the venue to ensure McCarthy isn’t allowed to spread his denialist views.

The full text of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry media release can be read below:

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry notes the current visit to Australia of the American Professor of history, Justin McCarthy. Professor McCarthy campaigns around the world against the recognition of the Armenian genocide.

Professor McCarthy does not deny that from 1915 to 1923 more than 1 million Armenians, Pontian Greeks and Assyrians, almost all of them civilians, lost their lives at the hands of the Ottoman Caliphate. However, notwithstanding that this slaughter was on a massive scale over a period of years, Professor McCarthy maintains that this loss of life was not systematic and was not carried out with the intention of eradicating these Christian communities, but was an act of war.

The inherent implausibility of this contention raises many questions about the quality of Professor McCarthy’s analysis. The ECAJ accepts the overwhelming view of history scholars that the killing of hundreds of thousands of civilians in these communities was done with genocidal intent.

Whilst freedom of expression and academic freedom require that Professor McCarthy must be at liberty to put forward his theories, the manner in which he does so must not lapse into racial vilification. Professor McCarthy is a guest of Australia and must respect Australia’s laws during his visit.

One of the venues to which Professor McCarthy has been invited to put forward his views, is a room in Parliament House Canberra, thereby lending his theories the misleading appearance of official approval. In our view, no part of Parliament House should be misused in this way.

Peter Wertheim AM | Executive Director