ME advocate condemns attack on Tony Abbott

… “BENEATH CONTEMPT”

YES CAMPAIGN SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED BY ACTION OF ONE PERSON WEARING A BADGE

“I urge both Yes and No supporters to act with respect and restraint because, when this postal survey is over, we will still have to live side by side as Australians.” – Rodney Croome

Tasmanian marriage equality advocate, Rodney Croome, has condemned a violent attack on Tony Abbott as “beneath contempt” but also urged that the Yes campaign not be judged by the action of one person whose only link to the campaign was a badge.

Responding to reports that former Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, was head butted by a Hobart man wearing a Yes badge, Mr Croome said,

“This attack on Tony Abbott, like any violence on the basis of political belief, is beneath contempt and has no place in Australian public debate, especially when that debate is about love, commitment, tolerance and respect.”

“But I also urge Australians not to make a judgement about marriage equality on the basis of the delinquency of one person whose only link to the Yes campaign was wearing a badge.”

Mr Croome noted that earlier in the week a Burnie Cafe was threatened with arson for supporting the Yes campaign while a 14 year old Dubbo girl received a death threat for supporting marriage equality on social media.

“I urge both Yes and No supporters to act with respect and restraint because, when this postal survey is over, we will still have to live side by side as Australians.”

Report on attack on Tony Abbott: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/09/21/tony-abbott-headbutted-same-sex-marriage-campaigner-hobart
Report on the Burnie arson threat: http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/4931785/arson-threats-against-business-supporting-same-sex-marriage/
Report on the Dubbo death threat: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4893898/Teenage-girl-Dubbo-death-threats-man-sex-marriage.html
Tasmanian marriage equality advocate, Rodney Croome