Street performer reclaims Fed Square after far-right threat

Members of the far-right threatened and harassed a popular performer at Federation Square on Sunday. On Tuesday he and his community returned to reclaim the space.
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Blair Cottrell advances menacingly on Dandyman. Image via Future Now Australia.

Circus and physical comedy performer Dandyman has performed to tough crowds before, having worked in over 30 countries across his 23 year career, but on Sunday he was forced to walk away from Melbourne’s Federation Square after being verbally abused and physically intimidated by a mob of far-right extremists.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts