Christian Lives Matter has published the identities of LGBTQIA+ protesters attacked outside an event promoted by the online conservative religious group, calling on them to be “held responsible for their actions”.
This comes as those involved in the event have sought to blame the violence on the protesters for having provocative signs and allegedly blocking a road.
On Tuesday night, a small group of Community Action for Rainbow Rights (CARR) protesters were attacked near a community meeting featuring One Nation MP Mark Latham at St Michael’s Church Hall in Belfield.
Footage shows a group of men running at protesters and NSW Police. Three men associated with the group were arrested for their involvement in the event on charges including assault.
The event was promoted by Christian Lives Matter’s Charlie Bakhos from his Facebook and Instagram accounts. The protest was promoted by CARR on social media too, and the group’s Facebook post was shared in a private WhatsApp group run by Christian Lives Matter organisers. One man who has been charged with assault, Christian Sukkar, urged people to “drag protesters by their hair” in a video shared before the event.
Yesterday, the Christian Lives Matter’s Facebook and Instagram accounts posted the names, photographs and social media handles of two people believed to have been CARR protesters, asking its 40,000 followers for “more information” and to “keep an eye out for them”.
“These evil people need to be held responsible for their actions!!” the account posted.
One CARR protester, who asked not to be named due to concerns for their safety, said they were “frightened” by the account’s attention.
“They’re targeting individuals. [The Christian Lives Matter group] says they had nothing to do with the violence, but they’re also blaming us for instigating it. The implication is that these people deserved it,” they told Crikey.
They shared threatening messages with Crikey that they had received since the Christian Lives Matter account posted about them.
“If i find you or see you my friend goodluck [sic],” one said. “Just watch your back.”
“Hope to see you Sunday,” another one read.
In the aftermath of the community event, both Christian Lives Matter and Latham have sought to blame the CARR protesters for the violence.
While condemning the violence during and after the event, Latham also claimed that “transgender radical left-wing protesters” had “block[ed] public roads and access to a church”.
A CARR protest spokesperson denied that they had blocked access, pointing out that they had not even made it to the church prior to being attacked.
A NSW Police spokesperson said that protesters were intercepted and that “people came out of the event/church and confronted them”.
Latham also said that the protesters had “set up” the violence, tweeting on Wednesday: “The Alphabet protesters had their own cameraman present in Belfield last night who is now shopping footage around media for free. A working journo would be charging for it, of course.”
An independent livestreamer, Chriscoveries, had been broadcasting the event when he was assaulted by Christian Lives Matter members.
Bakhos, through the Christian Lives Matter accounts, has accused CARR of “inciting hatred and stirring trouble” with their protests.
He posted pictures of CARR’s torn signs (“CATHOLIC PRIESTS GROOMERS”, “CORRUPT CATHOLIC POLITICIANS”, “FACT OVER FICTION”) taken at a counter-protest to a Christian Lives Matter protest last Sunday in Hyde Park.
“They held these signs in what the media called peaceful signs mmmm makes you think,” he said.
Christian Lives Matter protesters were pictured with banners reading “LGBTQ = PEDOPHILIA” and “HANDS OFF OUR CHILDREN” at the Sunday protest. It’s one of the increasing number of anti-LGBTQIA+ activities promoted by the group.
Another event, a prayer march through Newtown during Sydney WorldPride, was promoted by the Christian Lives Matter accounts as a “peaceful protest”. Crikey reported a claim that one protester assaulted a man. NSW Police said that it will continue to investigate.
