Riot police rescue Australian PM Julia Gillard from protest

AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Julia Gillard had an Australia Day to forget when she had to be rescued by riot police after she and opposition leader Tony Abbott were trapped in a Canberra restaurant by Aboriginal rights protestors.
 
A shaken-looking Gillard was rushed out of the eatery surrounded by dozens of police officers as up to 200 demonstrators banged on the windows chanting "shame" and "racist".
 
She and Abbott were holed up in the glass-fronted building for around 20 minutes before police decided it was safe to evacuate them. Gillard left the restaurant surrounded by officers in a kind of rolling maul. According to the Courier Mail: "Ms Gillard stumbled, almost fell and lost a shoe in the rush."
 
The protestors were from the Aboriginal tent 'embassy' on the lawns of parliament in Canberra, which was celebrating its 40th anniversary. They were incensed by a remark from Abbott, who apparently said it was no longer relevant.
 
Britain's Daily Telegraph reports: "Many indigenous Australians regard Australia's annual day of celebrations on January 26 - which marks the arrival of the First Fleet from Britain in 1788 - as 'invasion day'. Relations between the Aboriginal community and Canberra's politicians have often been strained, with successive governments failing to overcome high rates of indigenous crime, poverty and poor health."

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