Flags 'not banned' but unwelcome

MUSIC fans will be able to take Australian flags into the Big Day Out festival despite an attempt from organisers to lock out the "gang colours" they claim incited racial hatred last year.
Prime Minister John Howard said today it was "stupid and offensive" for Big Day Out promoter Ken West to attempt to stop fans taking Australian flags to
Thursday's concert at the Sydney Showground.

But BDO organisers insisted their plea to the expected crowd of 60,000 not to bring flags was "simply a request, not a command". "If people show up with a flag they will not be refused entry if they have a valid ticket," a spokeswoman said. Mr West said the display of nationalism under the flag at the Sydney leg of BDO last year, a month after the Cronulla riots, was intolerable.

"The Australian flag was being used as gang colours. It was racism disguised as patriotism and I'm not going to tolerate it," Mr West was quoted as saying in News Ltd papers. Mr Howard was joined today by Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma, the RSL and the Australian National Flag Association in condemning Mr West's comments.

"The proposition that the display of the Australian flag should ever be banned anywhere in Australia is offensive and it will be to millions of Australians," Mr Howard said.

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