![\"Footage](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/espacestudio.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Who-is-the-Real-Rukshan.jpeg?resize=335%2C224&ssl=1\")
<\/picture><\/div>Footage from Rukshan Fernando\u2019s live stream shows police moving in on protesters at the Shrine of Remembrance.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Meanwhile, on his social media Telegram channel, followed by 13,000 people, he preaches about Premier Daniel Andrews \u201csuper-spreading misinformation\u201d and writes \u201cthe world is watching Australia in disbelief as our leaders strip our rights, freedoms and dignity\u201d.<\/p>\n Police have twice attended his house in Melbourne\u2019s south-east to warn him not to attend protests \u2013 warnings he has ignored.<\/p>\n Academics and sociologists believe Fernando is amplifying a movement that is misguided, especially in a pandemic, and has deeply unsavoury elements.<\/p>\n But he is also documenting the actions of an increasingly militarised police force, whose at times aggressive behaviour would unnerve most Melburnians.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Videographer Real Rukshan, aka Rukshan Fernando,\u00a0filming in Melbourne\u2019s CBD this week.<\/span>Credit:<\/span>Simone Fox Koob<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Fernando said he was supportive of Andrews when the first pandemic lockdown began in March 2020.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I had to close my business I 100 per cent supported the Andrews government and the decisions … I was going around telling people to support the Andrews government \u2026 Down the track I was disillusioned with some of the decisions he was making, particularly on businesses and the lack of transparency, the quarantine issue.\u201d<\/p>\n He began live-streaming the protests earlier this year but says he does not necessarily endorse the views of participants, which he concedes may include a fringe Nazi element.<\/p>\n Fernando was interviewed in August 2020 on a videocast by Tim Wilms, a vlogger notable for interviewing leaders of the Proud Boys, the United Patriots Front and Nazis, but rejects the idea the protests are organised by extremist elements, or are used as a recruiting tool for them as has been suggested by union chief Sally McManus and former federal opposition leader Bill Shorten, who described the protesters as \u201cman-baby Nazis\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s representative of the majority of the protests or the intent of the protesters\u2026 [though] I don\u2019t deny that they are there.<\/p>\n Loading<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t buy into this narrative that it\u2019s led by these people or that they\u2019re the main proponent or setting these things up. They are very fringe. A lot of it is people from different walks of life \u2026 they\u2019re against lockdown or mandatory vaccination or they\u2019re protesting against Dan Andrews.\u201d<\/p>\n Fernando rejects criticism of protesters occupying the West Gate Bridge and the Shrine of Remembrance, and suggests the police are the ones putting people in danger, in particular when they have surrounded protesters. He has been pepper-sprayed while filming, as has Age<\/em> photographer Luis Ascui. A Channel Nine security guard has been taken to the ground and arrested and the treatment of many protesters has appeared heavy handed.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, at least 10 police have been injured \u2013 some seriously \u2013 when charged at, punched and trampled by protesters. Police cars have been attacked by mobs, the Shrine urinated on, drivers on the West Gate Bridge terrorised and spat on, and suburban streets overrun by mobs of largely angry young men.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Fernando said he condemned those attacking police and the media, and said he believed his work is important because it both documented a movement and captured serious incidents from all sides, though he has at times turned the camera elsewhere when protesters are instigating violence.<\/p>\n Loading<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s very bad that police are put in that situation. No one wants to go to work and get injured. Any deliberate attempts to attack police, hurt them, is not called for. [But] a lot of the injuries are in situations that could be avoided,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n His initial online notoriety stemmed from his creation of memes last year mocking Premier Dan Andrews. One of the most successful was a video edited to show Andrews on a Dr Phil<\/em> segment with the title \u201cHelp me Dr Phil, I can\u2019t stop lying\u201d, another a video comparing conflicting statements from Brett Sutton on mask wearing.<\/p>\n The creation of similar memes helped seed and promote the Trump movement in the US. It is noteworthy that his Twitter image banner depicts the US Capitol building, which Trump supporters invaded in January, injuring police and threatening the lives of senators.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWhen you look at humour you can attract people who are not on the political perspective\u2026 maybe deep down it will make them question something else,\u201d he said during a 2020 interview on The Discernable videocast.<\/p>\n This week he was interviewed by Laura Ingraham on US cable channel Fox News, agreeing with her that Victoria was becoming like \u201cCommunist China\u201d.<\/p>\n Rukshan Fernando was interviewed on US cable channel Fox News this week.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n In other videos on his social media he consistently feeds a narrative that seeks to sow doubt in mainstream institutions and legacy journalists, which he describes as \u201cpuppets\u201d.<\/p>\n However, Fernando insists he is not pushing an agenda; he says he is there to document a movement of ordinary people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIf [a journalist] goes and embeds themselves with the Taliban it doesn\u2019t mean they necessarily share those views,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Deakin University political sociologist Dr Josh Roose, who studies far-right movements, does not believe Fernando\u2019s role is passive.<\/p>\n \u201c[His videos have] grown him exponentially in the last week. It\u2019s an interesting tactic and style. He\u2019ll attend these protests, film the violence, yet deny responsibility,\u201d Roose says.<\/p>\n \u201cHis filming of the protest is actually part of the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe films the spectacular … and seeks to bring in sympathy for protesters in the middle of a pandemic that not only are a health risk but have a record of being violent towards the police \u2026 in that sense he\u2019s building their narrative.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Andrew Jakubowicz, Professor of Sociology at the University of Technology Sydney, believes Fernando is driving a message and cannot be viewed as a traditional reporter.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s highly skilled \u2013 he\u2019s very good at what he does. Is there much difference between him than Sky After Dark? Yes, he\u2019s better at that than they are. Is there much difference in the ideology? I don\u2019t think so. He has a much more intimate relationship with the movement on the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c[His camera] lens is not an autonomous being that operates independently of his mind. He\u2019s choosing all the time. He\u2019s choosing stuff which feeds that narrative of taking control of the streets.\u201c<\/p>\n Dr Francesco Bailo, lecturer in digital and social media at the University of Technology Sydney said protest movements strive to create their own media so they control the message.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the level of distrust towards the media is high the movement says we can create the media ourself. They\u2019re protesters and part of the movement but they assume an institutional role.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But he doesn\u2019t believe the narrative that the movement is driven by the far right.<\/p>\n \u201cI never believe in general the simple explanation, saying that the far right blows some whistle then you have hundreds of people in the streets. The roots of this, the discontent causing this is real \u2026 people are not being paid, the vaccine mandate. You have an opportunity for many different movements and groups to try to steer this.\u201d<\/p>\n Loading<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n While some other \u201cindependent media\u201d attending the protests make income through their videos and posts, through advertising and go-fund-me type websites, Fernando says he makes no money from his work.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a perception people in independent media are trying to take advantage of the situation \u2026 to try to monetise it. That\u2019s not been my approach. I want to avoid that. I\u2019ve told people not to put up fundraisers. I don\u2019t want to be tied to any particular group of people. I don\u2019t want be owned by these people or anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Fernando told The Discernable he believed people should get their news from multiple sites and make up their own mind.<\/p>\n \u201cNews media sources, I just look at them all with a grain of salt,\u201d he said. \u201cDon\u2019t trust anyone. Don\u2019t even trust Real Rukshan. Do your own research.\u201d<\/p>\n The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. <\/i><\/b>Sign up here<\/i><\/b><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Videographer](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/espacestudio.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/1652508937_729_Who-is-the-Real-Rukshan.jpeg?resize=160%2C240&ssl=1\")
<\/picture><\/div>![\"Rukshan](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/espacestudio.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/1652508937_907_Who-is-the-Real-Rukshan.jpeg?resize=335%2C224&ssl=1\")
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