Over 200 people packed Brunswick Town Hall last night for the Solidarity meeting against racist disunity called by the Socialist Party (SP) and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU). The audience was wildly diverse ranging from construction workers to Muslim youth. SP Cllr Stephen Jolly stated that, "After Cronulla, unionists and the SP wanted to make a stand against racism as well as trying to unite people to fight the conditions that breed racism."

CFMEU (construction division) Secretary Martin Kingham stressed the need for workers' unity in the face of Howards' IR attacks. Islamic Council of Victoria representative Sherene Hassan gave a moving account of what its like to be a Muslim woman in Australia, especially hard after S11. ETU State Secretary Dean Mighell repeated Kingham's message of class unity and said that racism was union business.

The last speaker was ETU shop steward and brother of an apprentice electrician who was picked up on anti-terrorist charges last year, Omar Merhi. He had defied death threats against his children that day to attend the meeting. He was greeted by a standing ovation as he walked to the lectern to speak. His message of compassion and workers' unity had the most powerful effect on the crowd.