Man charged over violent text messages. (22/12/2005. ABC News Online)

A man has been arrested and charged over violent text messages he sent urging people to gather in Cronulla (*see below) on Sunday 18 December. The gathering led to the racist riot.

Do we cheer? No. We shouldn't rely on police action to stop racists on our streets. A concerted community anti-racism and anti-racists campaign is what we need.

Correction: I made a mistake! This man was arrested in relation to texts he sent urging retaliation AFTER the Cronulla riots! I don't know why I'm surprised that the police's first arrests would be of a Middle Eastern man inciting violence retaliation to the white racist violence of the previous week, rather than arresting any of the white racists who actually did riot the week before!

I don't know why I'm surprised at the media beat-up of this and other arrests being made of Middle Eastern young people, and how they're letting the vitriolic spite of Alan Jones go unpunnished!! (Except the excellent David Marr, who's report on Jones i've linked. Thumbs up, David! Love your work.)

Why am I surprised that the white establishment will protect its own, and target the wogs/Arabs, in this debacle?! (edited 23/12/05)