If they had allowed the march to go ahead, and not bought dogs, helicopters, riot police and pepperspray onto the scene, the crowd would not have been so angry.

I was explaining to an onlooker the reason why the rally was taking place – they were protesting the film, it was their right, the police were not letting them march, they have the right to march, the police and government pick on Muslims and are killing them in a war, and occupation of the Muslim dominated Middle East etc etc, and a young male protester turned around and shook my hand, saying thank you.

Perhaps the onlookers needed a little more of that assessment, and not one the anti-Islamic sentiment you described here.

Here is my thoughts on the day.

http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/52259