Police pepper spray alleged neo-Nazis after clash at Melbourne rally

Police have used pepper spray on a group of suspected neo-Nazis who crashed a planned refugee rally in Melbourne’s Docklands.

A group of suspected neo-Nazis have been chased away by police after crashing a refugee protest camp in Melbourne’s CBD.

Shortly before 6pm on Tuesday evening, a group of 20 balaclava-clad men crashed a planned rally in Melbourne’s Docklands, chanting extremist rhetoric and holding an offensive banner.

A group of asylum seekers have been holding a protest outside the Department of Home Affairs in the Docklands, Melbourne, for the past three months demanding refugee status after their “fast-track” permanent visa applications were rejected.

The alleged extremists carried an offensive banner and began chanting to the crowd. Picture: Instagram

On the 100th and final night of the protest, a group of 20 black-clad men wearing balaclavas and sunglasses began storming the camp, chanting “hail victory” and “white power” while holding a banner with an offensive slogan.

Police, who were already on the scene as part of the planned protest, formed a line to separate the white supremacist group and asylum seekers and were forced to use pepper spray to deter the men in black.

Chaos broke out along the street, with protesters clashing with the far-right extremists, before police separated the groups. While police marched the extremists away, a large crowd of asylum seekers and supporters began chanting “refugees are welcome, Nazis are not”.

Police resorted to pepper spray to break up a neo-Nazi demonstration in Docklands on Tuesday night. Picture: Instagram

“The groups dispersed and there were no arrests or reports of injuries,” a spokesman from Victoria Police said.

“Police will assess the circumstances surrounding the demonstration and review vision of the incident and people involved.”

Organiser of the asylum seeker rally and member of the Tamil Refugee Council, Aran Mylvaganam, told ABC the extremists were shouting “hate speech” at the crowd before the “police pepper sprayed them” and “chased them away”.

“It’s quite dangerous at the moment for refugees to express their political views without being attacked by racists,” Mr Mylvaganam said.

Victoria Police will continue to investigate the circumstances of the deomstration and urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Police pepper spray alleged neo-Nazis after clash at Melbourne rally