Patriotism or racism?

last updated 8 January 2015

Sydney

Australians this week became embroiled in a divisive national debate after organizers of an annual outdoor rock concert asked people to refrain from waving the Australian flag. The Big Day Out is held in cities across the country for several days around Australia’s national day. At the concert in Sydney last year, some whites wrapped in flags beat up Lebanese immigrants, and this year’s organizers were determined to avoid a repeat. “Last year, the Australian flag was being used as gang colors,” said the event’s coordinator, Ken West. “It was racism disguised as patriotism, and I’m not going to tolerate it.” His request to “leave the flags at home” was widely reported as an official ban, which it was not. Still, Prime Minister John Howard denounced the move as “stupid and offensive to millions of Australians.”