Hundreds of protesters have clashed in a tense standoff over a council’s controversial decision to ban books on same-sex parenting from its libraries.
On Wednesday night there were intense scenes outside Cumberland Council and inside the chamber in western Sydney, where councilors are debating whether to overturn the ban.
Dozens of police officers stationed at the police station in front of the town hall were forced to intervene and keep the large crowd separated.
The issue has divided the community: One group is angry about the banning of a book about same-sex families, while the other is outraged by subsequent efforts to reverse the ban.
Local grandmother Caroline Staples has led a campaign urging the council to repeal the ban, and almost 41,000 people signed a petition backing her plan, which was presented to councilors on Wednesday night.
‘We are diverse, we are different, we can sit down and unite around shared values. And it’s no surprise that, given what’s behind us, they’re terrified. “They are terrified in their own community,” he said. 7News.
There was a tense standoff between opposing groups of protesters (pictured) outside Cumberland Council chambers in western Sydney on Wednesday night.
Protesters (pictured) are separated by a heavy police presence due to the emotive issue that has raised tensions in the area and across the city.
Local religious leaders were also in attendance to address councillors.
Cumberland Council has faced a huge amount of criticism locally, across Australia and around the world since the ban was adopted a fortnight ago.
Mr Staples said if the council did not overturn the ban he would take the fight to the NSW government.
It is also investigating whether the community’s human rights have been violated.
With the support of national LGBT+ group Equality Australia (EA), he presented two petitions to the council.
The first was an EA petition that has 40,861 signatures, including 2,194 Cumberland residents.
Another 10,065 people have signed a petition on change.org.
Mrs. Staples, who lives in the area, is a mother of four and a grandmother in what she called “a rainbow family.”
He said the book that sparked the ban, which is called Same-Sex Parents and features two men and a boy on the cover, is a “carefully crafted and entirely age-appropriate children’s book.”
“We need to rescind this ban,” he said, amid cries of support and opposition from the public gallery.
Councilor Steve Christou, who tabled the amendment “for the council to take immediate action to remove same-sex parenting books and materials from the council’s library service”, questioned Ms Staples.
‘How many people did not sign the petition? That’s all,’ she asked.
He later asked Ms Staples about her history in left-wing politics and she admitted she worked part-time for NSW Labor MP Lynda Voltz, but said: “I’m here because I’ve lived here 40 years “.
Wei Thai-Haynes, of the organization Pride in Protest, said the group is “deeply disgusted” by the council’s actions in banning same-sex books from its libraries.
A woman who opposes the book ban appears at a protest in western Sydney on Wednesday night.
Supporters of the council’s same-sex book ban are pictured at the protest outside Cumberland Council offices.
Protesters appear at a rally by rival factions in western Sydney on Wednesday night.
A petition from Equality Australia with 40,861 signatures was presented to council. Protesters appear in the photo.
“Children will commit suicide because of… your actions,” he said.
‘What a shame.’
Mayor Lisa Lake warned those in the public gallery to calm down and let people speak without interruptions.
“Gallery, I’ll make you go,” he said. “I’m sorry, but I can’t lead a meeting with people yelling at me in the gallery.”
Former mayor and current councilor Steve Christou (pictured) tabled the amendment “that the council take immediate action to remove same-sex parenting books and materials from the council library service”.
