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Peace Foundation Condemns Violence in Sydney; “Learn Another Way To Protest”

From Chair of the Sydney Peace Foundation

The violence of protesters in Sydney is counterproductive, and dangerous. Yet a simple lesson should  be learned: Peaceful protest can be highly productive but depends on the language and philosophy of non violence, a practice which all of the great religions are supposed to know.

Professor Stuart Rees, Chair of the Sydney Peace Foundation comments, ‘Placards which said ‘Behead all those who insult Allah’, show a mindless fanaticism which has no place in Australia, even if a few of the Sydney protesters were attempting to imitate the violent protests in other parts of the world.’

Learning the lessons of non violence depends on a moderate leadership having the courage and vision to not only to outlaw  violence in any form,  but to also show how to implement their beliefs about non violence. Those beliefs apparently include  an emphasis on tolerance and  the value of  criticism which is informed and therefore gives a chance of being heard.’