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Loeb defends rally amid protests

Five-time World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb has defended Rally Australia in the face of increasingly hostile environmental protests against the event

Rally Australia organisers remain concerned at the possibility of some sort of demonstration on one of the opening day's stages.

Signs have been placed around the route of the rally, inviting the drivers and those involved in the WRC to go home - with the road in one stage being sprayed with the message: "F*** off rally."

Despite an expanded police presence on this 10th round of the World Rally Championship, the protesters appear to be preparing themselves for a demonstration - most likely on SS6, which is run through the environmental hot-spot of the Byrrill Creek.

Loeb said: "The people are not so happy to see us. They don't have to be angry at the drivers. We are just doing our jobs. Sometimes people don't like us in front of their houses, but I didn't ask to come here. I can understand why some people don't like the rally, but I have to do my job."

Northern Rivers protester Graeme Dunstan said: "Byrrill Creek is a close-knit community and its residents are angry. The Repco Rally juggernaut - 90 racing cars plus support vehicles, helicopters and sirens to scare away wildlife - will be going past their properties and denying them access to their road for the day. Stop the rally there on the first day and we will win the battle for the rally media."

A heavy police presence has been sent to the Byrrill Creek area today.

Some of the protesters' tactics were revealed earlier in the week, when area police commander Michael Kenny admitted there had been rumours of road kill being frozen in preparation for the start of the rally.

"There are a lot of stories going around about this sort of madness that may or may not occur. There are stories that road kill is being put in freezers that is to be thrown onto the road during the event," he said.

Rally chairman Garry Connelly added: "Other rallies have had threats from time to time, but I don't think they've ever had the threat of a frozen koala being thrown on a road before. This is really bizarre, but you have to expect the unexpected."

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