wearing Ku Klux Klan outfits removed by police during a

peaceful demonstration outside the Australian Open tennis tournament.

The son of the Prime Minister’s brother Malcolm and his wife Tuoi, Van Thanh Rudd, was protesting against assaults on Indian students in Melbourne over the past 12 months as well as the celebration of Australia Day.

Rudd and the other man removed, Sam King, are members

of the Revolutionary Socialist Party. Another member at the protest, James Crafti, said it was a peaceful demonstration against racism in Australia.

Rudd told media outside the stadium that Indian students

were 21⁄2 times more likely to be attacked in Melbourne than other ethnic groups while the state and federal governments continued to deny the bashings were racist.

Rudd also slammed the Federal Government’s detention of

refugees on Christmas Island.

‘‘We don’t see why Australia has the right to be the most racist country in the world with the Government able to lock up more than 1000 people on Christmas Island,’’ he said.

Mr Crafti said they were demonstrating on the 222nd

anniversary of ‘‘Invasion Day’’ when white people occupied Australia, taking it from the indigenous population.

‘‘Australia is still an incredibly racist country and should not be celebrating but condemning racism,’’ Mr Crafti said.

He said police took Rudd and King to Flinders Street station in a police van and fined them for inciting a riot.

He said the two men faced fines of more than $200.

AAP