Australian Senator Sam Dastyari warns white nationalism on the rise, by Jessica Haynes.

Senator Dastyari, who was born in Iran and identifies as a non-practising Muslim, was confronted by members of the nationalist Patriot Blue group at a Melbourne pub last night during an event for his book tour.

This morning Senator Dastyari labelled the men Islamophobes, describing the behaviour as sickening and warned it was becoming more widespread. …

Neil Erikson, one of the men who confronted Senator Dastyari last night, was part of a trio found guilty of inciting serious contempt with a mock beheading in Bendigo in 2015. He was charged under Victoria’s Racial and Religious Tolerance Act after the group filmed the beheading of a mannequin with a toy sword. …

Mr Erikson defended his part in the pub encounter.

“Sam’s a strong bloke. He’s got a thick skin. He’s been in politics for a long time. He gives as good as he gets, he called us rednecks which is a racist term in fact,” Mr Erikson told AM. …

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said there should be “zero tolerance” for the behaviour.

“We are the most successful multicultural society in the world and that is because … our society is built on a foundation of respect.

Islam is not a race, and I didn’t see any respect for the protestors. Respect the PC crew and their mascots, seems to be the message.

In May Neil Erikson recorded a video saying he lost his job at Toll Holdings after facing court action over his far-right activities.

I wouldn’t call it white nationalism, but white people of European descent are fed up of being told they’re second-class citizens in their own countries. Told to shut up, respect those who mock them as deplorables, and to support the elite with their taxes while the culture is re-engineered. Talk about privilege.