Bodyguard Hailed A Hero Amid More Demos Date: Friday, January 27, 2012 Source: Ananova

Hundreds of indigenous-rights protesters have burned an Australian flag outside the country's parliament a day after the Prime Minister was dramatically rescued from a function they besieged. Aboriginal activists marched to Canberra's Parliament House, chanting "Always was, always will be Aboriginal land", setting the flag alight on the steps. It came as Australia marked the day British colonists first arrived in Sydney in 1788. Protesters had earlier besieged a restaurant where Prime Minister Julia Gillard was attending a function to mark the national day with opposition leader Tony Abbott. She was rescued from the fracas by her bodyguard - who has now found himself at the centre of a flurry of media comparisons to Kevin Costner in the hit movie of the same name. Television and radio breakfast shows in Australia have even played the movie's famous theme tune, Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, over footage of the chiselled, broad-shouldered policeman. The so-far publicly unnamed close protection officer was seen gripping Ms Gillard tightly round the shoulders as he dragged her to safety after the protest got out of hand. Karl Stefanovic, host of Channel 9's popular Today breakfast show, held up the front page of one national newspaper and declared "Anyone else think this man is hot?", prompting viewers to text and email all wanting to know who the cool-headed protection officer was. Ms Gillard stumbled and was caught by the security guard as riot police helped her force a path through the crowd of rowdy protesters. Some 200 supporters of indigenous rights had surrounded the restaurant in Canberra, and banged its windows while Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott were inside. Around 50 police escorted the political leaders from a side door to a car. Gillard stumbled, losing a shoe. Her personal security guard featured prominently in television footage as he calmly shielded her from the angry crowd. The protesters had been demonstrating for indigenous rights nearby at the so-called Aboriginal Tent Embassy, a ramshackle collection of tents and temporary shelters in the national capital that is a centre point of protests against Australia Day. Tony Abbott appeared to be the target of protesters, who chanted "shame" and "racist" outside the restaurant. The Tent Embassy celebrated its 40th anniversary on Thursday. Mr Abbott had earlier angered indigenous activists by saying it was time the embassy "moved on." Mr Abbott insisted he had never said the tent embassy should be removed. "I never said that and I don't think that," he told reporters. Indigenous leader Warren Mundine, a former president of the Australian Labor Party, said those responsible for Thursday's scenes should be charged. "No human being, let alone the prime minister of this country, should be treated in such a way," he said. Meanwhile, although the public may be demanding to hear more about the secretive bodyguard who helped the Prime Minister in her hour of need, the PM herself is revealing little about him, or her ordeal. She told reporters: "The only thing that angers me is that it distracted from such a wonderful event, I am made of pretty tough stuff and the police did a great job." Ananova Courtesy of SecurityOracle.com - The Secury Industry's Portal