Protesters against World Congress of Families conference take on Canberra. Source: News Corp Australia
A PROTESTER has been turfed from the controversial World Congress of Families conference in Melbourne after a stunt targeting Christian lobbyist and NSW MP Fred Nile.
Police outnumbered protesters at the event run by pro-family religious group the World Congress of Families as officers formed a line to protect attendees as they entered the event in Hallam. Phaedra Press, from the Whistleblowers, Activists and Citizens Alliance, managed to get inside and climb on to the stage, where she positioned herself in front of Mr Nile and spilt red paint on her white suit.
“We don’t want your backyard abortions,” she said, before security moved her out.
“We’ve got a system in America that’s quite influenced by the religious right and extremists, and we really don’t want that sort of rubbish going on here,” she later told reporters.
The band of about 40 protesters heckled attendees with calls of “shame” as they entered the premises of the Catch the Fire Ministries, which hosted the event.
Federal Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews and Victorian Attorney-General Robert Clark were due to give speeches at the Saturday event, but cancelled their appearance at the last minute because the evangelical Christian group was hosting it.
The conference has drawn criticism because of its stance against gay marriage, and claims of a link between breast cancer and abortion.
Protesters accused attendees of sexism, bigotry and homophobia, and there were a few scuffles with police during which a couple of demonstrators were held down and escorted away.
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