White nationalist ‘Australian Pride March’ fails to draw a crowd

Just 25 men and one woman turned up to a planned “Australian Pride March” in Penrith as police on bicycles and horseback outnumbered demonstrators.

A rally of white nationalists billed to draw hundreds of people to Penrith today ended with barely a fraction of supporters in attendance, with police on bicycles and horseback heavily-outnumbering actual demonstrators.

About 25 men and one woman gathered at Penrith’s Memory Park for the NSW Australian Pride March, though attendance fell well short of the 200 people expected for the event, police said.

The group walked from the park to a nearby McDonalds 500 metres away. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Police in Penrith outnumbered demonstrators. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Beginning at the park and ending about 500 metres away near a local McDonalds, the men — identifying as ‘patriots’ — walked mostly in silence along High Street, without chanting, as police trudged alongside.

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Mounted Police kept watch of the proceedings along with the Public Order & Riot Squad, the Dog Squad and Highway Patrol.

Seemingly encouraged by the turnout, the gathering’s notional organiser, Mitch, told supporters they were there to “enjoy the Australian flag”, before mounting several attacks on the media for why numbers were low.

Just one woman was among the group. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“They make us out to be scum,” he said. “That’s why people are scared to come out.”

Aside from brief mentions of “political correctness”, the “extreme Left”, and “enjoying the flag”, the central message or purpose of the rally wasn’t made clear.

A speaker from an organisation called the Lads Society Sydney said supporters had shown a “modicum of courage” by turning up. He later declined to provide his name to The Sunday Telegraph.

“We can count our days as our enemies count theirs,” he told the men.