COVID-19 border closures and lockdowns fuelling extremist support in Australia

Extremist movements and radicalism is growing in Australia and they’re being fuelled by two surprising things.

COVID-19 related border closures and lockdowns “for relatively low cases” has fuelled anti-government, anti-5G, anti-vaccination and pro-conspiracy narratives, driven by extremist groups to cause societal discord, ASIO has warned.

Both right and left wing extremist views in Australia have risen in the past 12 months, most visibly seen through mass cause rallies and the proliferation of Nazi flags being flown from homes across Australia.

The latest snapshot of extremist movements and radicalism in Australia by our security and law enforcement agencies paints a bleak current picture about the evolution of civil society since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Notably, radical groups and individuals have sought to “exploit” public fears, isolation, unemployment, family stress and financial hardship during this time to push disinformation and conspiracies.

ASIO has warned COVID-19 related border closures and lockdowns has fuelled anti-government, anti-5G, anti-vaccination and pro-conspiracy narratives. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

In its submission to a federal parliamentary inquiry into extremism and radicalism in Australia, ASIO found a disturbing pattern of extremist views and propaganda pushed onto a “home-based audience” during lockdowns.

“COVID-19 has given issue-motivated groups and individuals the chance to share new conspiracy theories, and reinforce existing ones,” ASIO concluded.

“For example, extreme right-wing groups and individuals have seized on COVID-19, believing it reinforces the narratives and conspiracies at the core of their ideologies. They see the pandemic as proof of the failure of globalisation, multiculturalism, and democracy, and confirmation that societal collapse and a ‘race war’ are inevitable.”

Protesters in Melbourne last week. Picture: NCA NewsWire

In its submission, Victoria Police noted a rise in ideologically motivated violence and threat to public safety largely influenced by overseas events and “fringe elements” looking to exploit current tensions.

“Online commentary on COVID-19 has provided a recruiting tool for Right Wing Extremist groups, linking those interested in alternative wellness, anti-vaccination and anti-authority conspiracy theories with white supremacist ideologies. For those already adhering to extremist ideologies, COVID-19 is seen as an indication of societal collapse and the validity of the ‘accelerationist’ mindset,” Victoria Police stated.

It added: “Continued restrictions and border closures despite relatively low COVID-19 cases has continued to fuel the perception that restrictions are primarily a tool for authoritarian control, rather than for prevention of the spread of COVID-19”.

ASIO and the AFP have warned of a proliferation of banners, flags and stickers promoting extremist right and left wing views such as these in Sydney's CBD. Picture: Charles Miranda

Both the right and left presented the pandemic as an attempt to create authoritarian rule, in the case of the left as a human impact on the environment and worsening ecology.

The Australian Federal Police in its submission, found extreme right and left wing groups were acting as a driver for radicalism.

It said its “operational tempo” had remained high during COVID-19 not just for extremist groups but also terrorism, notably returning foreign fighters such as Agim Ajazi who was deported from Turkey to Australia, arrested in Adelaide then extradited to Queensland on charges he was a member of terror group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.

The extradition of Agim Ajazi, accused of being an a foreign fighter, from Adelaide to Queensland. Picture: Nine News

But it’s the threat from the extreme right wing (XRW) the AFP says is growing, with arrests in Victoria and NSW and also an AFP-led arrest in the UK thwarting actual political-motivated attacks.

“There is a growing cohort of individuals who may align with the XRW ideology, but do not meet the thresholds for counter terrorism investigation,” it noted. “State and territory police continue to detect and respond to persons whose activities do not meet the threshold for counter terrorism investigation.”

It identified gaps in legislation to block offensive hate speech by people who possess or disseminate abhorrent or violent content.

“AFP engagement with state and territory police partners has identified numerous requests by police for homeowners to remove flags considered offensive by the community, including the Nazi flag,” the submission stated. “There does not appear to be a criminal offence which prohibits the display of these items … nor does there appear to be any prohibition on the ability of suppliers and business outlets to important and sell such items.”

It noted XRW views were being expounded by suspects as young as 13.

The inquiry is due to report to Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in April.

Originally published as COVID-19 border closures and lockdowns fuelling extremist support in Australia