Australian PM has a narrow escape

The Australian PM and opposition needed security forces to get them through a violent group of protestors yesterday.

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Police rescue Gillard from Aboriginal rights protesters

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday had to be bundled out of a Canberra restaurant by security service agents after it was surrounded by furious Aboriginal rights protesters.

Ms Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were stranded in The Lobby restaurant as dozens of demonstrators from a protest against Australia Day, which marks the arrival of British settlers in 1788, converged on the hotel.

The two leaders were dramatically escorted through the crowd by security agents and riot police brandishing shields, and the visibly rattled Ms Gillard tripped and fell during the rush.

She later made light of the incident, saying she was ‘‘made of pretty tough stuff and the police did a great job’’.

Ms Gillard had been presenting medals to emergency services workers when the protest erupted and said: ‘‘The only thing that angers me is that it distracted from such a wonderful event.’’

The demonstrators pounded the building’s glass walls, shouting ‘‘shame’’ and ‘‘racist’’. They had been attending so-called ‘‘Invasion Day’’ commemorations at the nearby Aboriginal tent embassy, a permanent camp of indigenous activists celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Michael Anderson, founder of the tent embassy, said the group had been angered by remarks Mr Abbott made earlier in the day about the Aboriginal protest no longer being relevant.

‘‘He said the Aboriginal embassy had to go, we heard it on a radio broadcast,’’ Mr Anderson said. ‘‘We thought, no way, so we circled the building. What Abbott said amounts to inciting racial riots.’’

Aborigines, whose cultures stretch back tens of thousands of years, are believed to have numbered about one million at the time of British settlement, but there are now just 470,000 out of a total Australian population of 22 million.

They are Australia’s most disadvantaged minority, with shorter life expectancy and much higher rates of imprisonment and disease than their non-Aboriginal counterparts. AFP

security – protection; systems providing for safety from attack, harm, or damage ระบบรักษาความปลอดภัย
protest – a meeting or rally, sometimes forceful or violent, of people who strongly disagree with something ชุมนุมประท้วง
rescue – to save a person or animal from a dangerous or unpleasant situation ช่วยชีวิต
right – something that you are morally or legally allowed to do or have สิทธิ
bundle – to make someone go to a particular place by pushing them in a quick, rough way ส่งไปอย่างเร่งรีบ,รีบไล่ไป
surrounded – having something completely around all sides ถูกล้อมรอบ
furious – extremely angry ซึ่งโกรธจัด
Aborigine – a member of the race of people who were the original people of Australia ชนพื้นเมืองในทวีปออสเตรเลีย, See also: ชนเผ่าอะบอริจิน
opposition – of a political party that is not part of the government or a group which is against the government ฝ่ายค้าน  ผู้ต่อต้าน
stranded – left somewhere with no way of going anywhere else ปล่อยเกาะ ถูกทิ้งไว้
demonstrators – people who march with other people in public to show that they support or oppose something ผู้ชุมนุมประท้วง
mark – to show respect for or to remember ระลึกถึง
settler – a person who arrives, especially from another country, in a new place and claims the land in order to live on it and farm it ผู้ตั้งถิ่นฐาน
converge – to come from different directions to reach the same point ไปยังจุดหมายเดียวกัน
dramatically – in a big way อย่างใหญ่หลวง
escort – to go with a person or group of people in order to protect them คุ้ม
riot – a violent protest การจลาจล
brandish – to hold or wave something, especially a weapon, in an aggressive or excited way กวัดแกว่ง (อาวุธ)
shield – an object that police officers carry in order to protect themselves เกราะ
visibly – in a way that is easily noticeable อย่างชัดแจ้ง, อย่างเห็นได้ชัด
rattled – nervous or frightened   ว้าวุ่น, กระวนกระวายใจ
tripped – to catch your foot on something and fall or almost fall สะดุด
rush – moving or doing something very quickly การรีบเร่ง
make light of – to treat something as not being important and not serious ไม่ให้ความสำคัญ
incident – something that happens, usually something bad เหตุการณ์
tough – strong and able to deal with difficult situations or pain แข็งแรง
medal – a flat piece of metal, usually shaped like a coin, that is given to the winner of a competition or to somebody who has been brave, for example in war เหรียญรางวัล
emergency – an unexpected situation involving danger in which immediate action is necessary เหตุฉุกเฉิน
erupt – to start suddenly ปะทุขึ้น
distract – to take your attention away from something  ทำให้ไขว้เขว เสียสมาธิ
demonstrators – people who march with other people in public to show that they support or oppose something ผู้ชุมนุมประท้วง
pound – to hit something/somebody hard many times, especially in a way that makes a lot of noise  ตีกระหน่ำ, โจมตีต่อเนื่อง
shame – used to say that somebody should feel ashamed (guilty or embarrassed ละอายใจ, รู้สึกผิด) for something they have said or done 
racist – someone who does not like or respect people who belong to races that are different from their own and who believes their race is better than others คนที่กีดกันหรือเหยียดเชื้อชาติ
invasion – an occasion when one country’s army goes into another country to take control of it by force การลุกล้ำอาณาบริเวณ
commemorate – to remember someone or something officially การระลึกถึง
permanent – happening or existing for a long time or for all time in the future ถาวร 
indigenous – naturally existing in a place or country rather than arriving from another place เกี่ยวกับชนพื้นเมือง
activist – someone who takes part in activities that are intended to achieve political or social change, especially someone who is a member of an organisation นักกิจกรรม
anniversary – a date when you celebrate something that happened in a previous year that is important to you วันครบรอบ
founder – a person who establishes an institution, business, or organisation ผู้ก่อตั้ง
remark – something said คำพูด
relevant – having ideas that are valuable and useful to people in their lives and work สำคัญ, มีความหมาย
incite – to encourage people to be violent or commit crimes by making them angry or excited ยั่วยุ ยุยงให้เกิดความรุนแรง
culture – the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group วัฒนธรรม
disadvantaged – not having the things, such as education, or enough money, that people need in order to succeed in life ด้อยโอกาส, ผู้เสียเปรียบในสังคม
minority – of a part of a population that is different in race, religion or culture form most of the population ชนกลุ่มน้อย
life expectancy – the number of years that a person is likely to live; the length of time that something is likely to exist or continue for การคาดหมายคงชีพ
rate – the level or speed at which something happens or changes, or the amount or number of times it happens or changes in a particular period อัตรา
imprisonment – the punishment of being put in prison การจำคุก
counterpart – someone who has the same job or purpose as another person or thing, but in a different country, time, situation, or organisation  ผู้ที่ทำงานประเภทเดียวกัน; ผู้ที่อยู่ในตำแหน่งเสมอกัน