News

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.

26 Jun 2018 12:00

Richard Watts

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Performing Arts

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

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts