Sydney protests have damaged Australia's multicultural reputation: Barry O'Farrell

AUSTRALIAN political leaders have condemned violent Islamic protests in Sydney as the "unacceptable face of multiculturalism" and warned they could inflame community sentiment.

They also said the protesters, apparently angered by an anti-Islamic film, were not representative of Australia's Muslim community.

But in response to the violence in Sydney, and to similar outbreaks across the world, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said he had asked all Australian diplomatic posts to “redouble their efforts” in closing the gap between Islamic and western societies.

Six men have been charged following the protests in which around 200 Muslims marched from Sydney's Town Hall to Martin Place yesterday afternoon before confronting police outside the US consulate

“The Islamic community understands the damage that has been done not just to their religion but to Australia's multicultural reputation.”

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said the protests had “no place in Australia”.

“This will have the capacity to inflame community sentiment,” she told Network Ten.

Tony Abbott said the ugly scenes did not fairly reflect the Islamic people of Australia.

The Opposition Leader 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,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“I don't believe we saw an acceptable face of Islam yesterday.”

Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce said politicians should 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 structure of the nation we have here is something that just will not work if that type of behaviour was to be replicated across every city.”

Senator Carr deplored yesterday's protests and said those who started the clashes “want more hatred in the air”.

“I have asked Australia's diplomatic posts around the world to redouble their efforts to bridge the gap between civilizations to encourage the overlap of cultures and the dialogue between faiths,” the Foreign Minister said.

He said those involved in the violent protests were not doing anything to progress the Muslim cause.

“The most disturbing thing is the harm this may cause to the vast majority of Muslims in Australia who go to work, pay their taxes and accept all the workings of Australian multiculturalism.”

Ms Gillard appeared unlikely to act on Mr Abbott's call for Australia to revoke the visa of visiting British Muslim leader Taji Mustafa, who the Coalition leader called a “preacher of hate”.

Mr Mustafa was the star guest at Muslim organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir's annual conference at Bankstown in Sydney today.

Ms Gillard warned Australia had tight laws on people who urge violence, and very tight laws on people who incite terrorism, but didn't say she would act against Mr Mustafa.

“The organisation that he has come to visit is not a proscribed terrorist organisation, not here in Australia, not here in the United States, not in the United Kingdom, and was not under the Howard government,” she said.

Mr O'Farrell said he was not familiar with Mr Mustafa.

“What I do know is that federal authorities in the past have sought to deny visas to people who are prepared to travel the world and come to Australia, to preach bigotry, to preach hatred,” he told Sky News.