Australian state premier condemns "masked" anti-Islam protestors for their "hate", "bigotry"

The Premier of the Australian state of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, Tuesday condemned anti-Islam protestors who wore masks at Sunday's violent demonstration in Melbourne for their "hate and bigotry."

The "Reclaim Australia' protestors wore masks and sunglasses which completely covered their faces during the protest in the outer western suburb of Melton, prompting Andrews to question why they felt the need to hide their face.

Six people were arrested during the rally, including one person who is accused of punching a police horse.

"If you're there to peacefully protest, if you're there to legitimately voice your views, if your views are not something that you're actually ashamed of, then why would you be covering your face?" Andrews told reporters on Tuesday.

"Only people who were acting in a riotous and violent way, covering your face, preaching hate and bigotry, only they can answer that," he said.

Andrews said the rallies, involving around 500 people, were not representative of the wider views of Victorians, most of which are accepting and embrace diversity and multicultural communities.

"Those who would peddle hate, you can go to all the protests you want,but you're not a protester, you're just a bigot," he said.

About 500 people from Reclaim Australia gathered on Sunday at the Melton Civic Center carrying Australian flags and signs reading "integrate or immigrate."

It was part of a national day of anti-Islam protests held across the country.

The group chose the site in response to a move by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) earlier this year to overrule the local council's decision to deny the Melbourne Islamic Center a permit to build a mosque in Melton. Endit