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Journalism of Courage
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSESYDNEY, June 2: The Ku Klux Klan has established branches in Australia, headed by a member of the far-right One Nation party, a report said on Wednesday. 8220;Our aim is for a white Australia, a fair Australia,8221; said Peter Coleman, also a former member of the Australian Nationalist Movement.
He said he had been appointed Exalted Cyclops and was happy 8220;to shout from the rooftops8221; that he headed the racist organisation. The Sydney Morning Herald said that through Coleman, the Imperial Klans of America had set up branches in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland with a growing membership base of about 70. 8220;The only reason groups like these exist is that if you try and talk in a normal manner, you are pilloried from post to post,8221; he said. 8220;Just look at Pauline Hanson,8221; he added, referring to the founder of One Nation, which is anti-Asian and advocates zero immigration. 8220;You are forced to be an extremist.8221;
Coleman said he did not believe members of his faction had anything to do with the incidents. 8220;We don8217;t believe in doing anything illegal,8221; he said, but added other factions 8220;may well have8221; been involved.
The Imperial Klans are one of 20 such groups in the United States. It is based in Kentucky and headed by Imperial Wizard Ron Edwards who signs his letters Yours for White Victory8217;. The Klan reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s when it had an estimated 4.5 million members.
