Perth picket for Mrs Whitehouse

Press, 25 July 1984, Page 9

Perth picket for Mrs Whitehouse

NZPA-AAP Perth Opposition to the Australian campaign of the British anti-porn crusader, Mary Whitehouse, was quick to surface in Perth yesterday. The opening public rally of her tour was picketed by members of a new organisation and anger flared at times as they handed out R'llets calling for a pubycott of Mrs Whitehouse and her fellow anti-

porn campaigner, Mr John Smyth, Q.C. Some Whitehouse supporters indignantly threw the pamphlets on the. ground outside the Church of Christ at suburban Northbridge. One man crumpled a pamphlet and then jumped on it. The group opposed the recent visit of the American anti-feminist, Michael Levin, and will turn out at this week’s appearances of

an American anti-abortion campaigner, Bernard Nathanson. Inside the church, Mrs Whitehouse was unaware of the picketing. But Ray Ellery, a Festival of Light organiser, said, “She is disappointed there are not more demos — they are good publicity.” Mrs Whitehouse told her 200 supporters that demonstrations had done her

previous visit immense good. “I was practically unknown until surrounded by gays, lesbians, and Trotskyites,” she said. “Wherever I went with my two bodyguards, people called, ‘Keep it up, girl’.” She and Mr Smyth continued their call for war on X-rated and R-rated “video filth” which, they said, was endangering children and “the feeble-minded?’