Hundreds at WA Reclaim Australia rally

There is a strong police presence at both a Reclaim Australia protest and a counter-rally in Perth.

A Reclaim Australia protester

There is a strong police presence at both a Reclaim Australia protest and a counter-rally in Perth. (AAP)

Soaring heat has not deterred hundreds of rowdy demonstrators from gathering in Perth for a Reclaim Australia protest and counter-rally.

There was a strong police presence near parliament on Sunday, including officers on horseback, but people on both sides behaved as they tried to drown each other out with music and chants.

The Reclaim Australia movement blasted Australian music such as INXS, while at the top of the hill the United Against Bigotry and Racism group chanted "Nazi scum, off our streets" and "Always was, always will be Aboriginal land".

Anti-racism campaigner Miranda Wood told AAP the crowd wanted to show support for Muslims living in Australia.

"I think it's a matter of being on the right side of history and we can see that we have all kinds of people who have turned out today to say welcome to Muslims (and) that they won't stand for racism," she said.

"They can see the writing's on the wall and that we won't stand for Muslims being attacked in the streets, Muslims being vilified (and) Muslims being blamed for tragic events on the other side of the world.

"I would say to Reclaim Australia to take your racism elsewhere."

But the Reclaim Australia group denies being racist, saying they just refuse to be ruled by sharia law.

Similar rallies are being held in other capital cities.


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Source: AAP



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