THE Prime Minister and NSW Premier have condemned yesterday's violent Islamic protest that has horrified the nation, saying it represented 'the unacceptable face of multiculturalism' and was not 'the Australian way'.
Julia Gillard singled out the chilling image of a young child photographed by a woman as he held aloft a poster preaching death.
"I absolutely condemn the violence that we saw yesterday on the streets of Sydney," Ms Gillard said. "There is never any excuse for violent behaviour.
"I do not want to see in the hands of anyone, particularly children, offensive signs that call for the killing of others . This is not the Australian way."
Meanwhile Barry O'Farrell told Sky News: "What we saw yesterday was the unacceptable face of multiculturalism,"
"I'm just horrified by what I saw."
Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said yesterday's ugliness did not fairly reflect the Islamic people of Australia.
Mr Abbott said newcomers to Australia were not expected to surrender their heritage but were expected to surrender their hatreds.
"I think that's the message that has got to go from every Australian to those people on the streets of Sydney yesterday.
"I don't believe we saw an acceptable face of Islam yesterday."
But outspoken Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce said political leaders must speak out to protect Australia "from what we might become years down the track".
"It's not xenophobic to ask what is in your national interest and what values we support and what actions we will condone," Senator Joyce told the Nationals' federal conference in Canberra.
"The riot that has happened in Sydney was supported by a certain world view that is not in our national interest. A response is demanded by politicians."
It came as the first of six men charged over yesterday's violence appeared in court today.
Father of three Ahmed Elomar, a 29-year-old champion boxer, was charged with affray and has been refused bail to appear again on Tuesday. The other defendants will face court next month.
Elomar displayed little emotion as he appeared in Parramatta Bail Court via video link wearing a T-shirt displaying the phrase "6th pillar".
Lawyer Greg Scragg argued that his client had not taken part in alleged acts of throwing bottles at police during the Sydney protest, adding that a shoulder injury sustained from a skiing accident in August had been exacerbated by his arrest.
"He was caught up in circumstances that got out of hand," Mr Scragg said.
"His arrest was not justified. His arrest was done in circumstances of over-policing.
"He was taken to the ground. While he was on the ground he was kneed in the back, he was sprayed with pepper spray."
However Magistrate Andrew George said Elomar had breached bail for driving offences and could not be trusted to obey bail conditions.
The nation was horrified by shockingly violent scenes yesterday as police were forced to use capsicum spray during a running battle with angry rioters in the Sydney CBD as the anti-America rally erupted into a series of violent clashes.
Triggered by a YouTube video mocking Islam and the prophet Mohammed, the city was rocked by a wild melee involving more than a 1000 protesters, with police being struck by water bottles, rocks and pieces of timber.
Six policemen were among a dozen people injured, with two officers requiring hospital treatment as the inner-city streets and Hyde Park turned into bloody battlegrounds.
Frontline police, including a dozen dog handlers, resorted to using capsicum spray as a wall of protesters tried to storm past them.
The Sydney riot follows a deadly wave of Islamic protests around the world which have left at least six people dead - including the horrific killings of US ambassador Chris Stevens and three US nationals in Libya on Tuesday.
The Sydney riot caused traffic chaos, forcing diversions as the placard-waving protesters - many of them women and children - gathered at Sydney's Town Hall around noon before moving to the US consulate in Martin Place.
Most disturbing was a shocking image of a young boy in Hyde Park holding a sign declaring: "Behead all those who insult the prophet". It went viral on social media.
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