- Gold Coast mayoral candidate led Blackshirts, male vigilantes group
- By GREG STOLZ
- 18/04/2012 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: Seymour ( 1 article in 2012 )
REVISTED: Gold Coast mayoral candidate John Abbott was a former leader of the Blackshirts.
A GOLD Coast mayoral candidate is defending his reputation after being revealed as the former leader of the Blackshirts, a men's rights vigilante group accused of terrorising women.
John Abbott led the group - whose members dressed in black and wore balaclavas and sunglasses during protests outside family law courts and the homes of ex-wives in Melbourne in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The group campaigned for adultery to be punishable by death and was vocal on what it called "immoral" women.
Mr Abbott, 66, was convicted of stalking in 2004 after picketing a woman's home in suburban Melbourne. He was sentenced to four months' jail, suspended for 18 months.
The Blackshirts' actions were condemned as "unacceptable" by former Family Court Chief Justice Alistair Nicholson and "one step along the path to terrorism".
But Mr Abbott said he felt like he had been "murdered" when his wife left him in 1990 and saw himself as a crusader.
He also believed enough people would vote for him, including women.
"Much was said and written about the Blackshirts and almost everyone had an opinion as to their conduct, which included almost everything from terrorist to crusader (group)," he said this week.
John Abbott led the group - whose members dressed in black and wore balaclavas and sunglasses during protests outside family law courts and the homes of ex-wives in Melbourne in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The group campaigned for adultery to be punishable by death and was vocal on what it called "immoral" women.
Mr Abbott, 66, was convicted of stalking in 2004 after picketing a woman's home in suburban Melbourne. He was sentenced to four months' jail, suspended for 18 months.
The Blackshirts' actions were condemned as "unacceptable" by former Family Court Chief Justice Alistair Nicholson and "one step along the path to terrorism".
But Mr Abbott said he felt like he had been "murdered" when his wife left him in 1990 and saw himself as a crusader.
He also believed enough people would vote for him, including women.
"Much was said and written about the Blackshirts and almost everyone had an opinion as to their conduct, which included almost everything from terrorist to crusader (group)," he said this week.
Source: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/candidate-led-male-vigilantes/story-e6freon6-1226330767450
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