Anti-Islam rallies planned this weekend are set to attract thousands – both in support and those intent on causing disruption.

There were counter-protests and ugly confrontations in April when Reclaim Australia last urged its supporters to take to the streets.

Federal coalition MP George Christensen will speak at one of the rallies, in Mackay, after saying “hell will freeze over” before he would bow to calls to pull out.

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Labor wants Prime Minister Tony Abbott to intervene to stop the Nationals MP from appearing.

“The prime minister was willing to stop people from appearing on a television show on the ABC,” opposition finance spokesman Tony Burke told reporters on Friday.

“We now need to find out whether he’s willing to stop one of his colleagues from attending an extremist rally that’s about dividing Australia.”

The rallies coincide with the Muslim celebration marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Former One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is also due to appear at the Mackay rally on Sunday.

Rallies will also be held in Melbourne and Adelaide on Saturday and in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart and other regional centres on Sunday.

Reclaim Australia advocates the closure of mosques and Islamic schools and the ending of halal food certification in a bid to end radicalisation.

Slogans suggested for signs on the group’s website include “Stop Islamic Terrorism”, “Reclaim Democracy” and “Our Women Are Equal”.

Concerns about violence prompted one anti-Islam group to issue a warning to its members about the rallies.

“We trust the organisers of these rallies to be well-meaning, but they have only limited control over such public gatherings,” the Q Society said in an email to its membership.

– AAP