National Socialist Network: Neo-Nazis could be on local recruitment drive, expert says

Shocking graffiti and stickers promoting a white supremacist neo-Nazi group could be part of a northern beaches racist recruitment drive, an expert says.

A shocking image showing a Nazi swastika and white supremacist slogans daubed on a building on Sydney’s northern beaches could be part of a local racist recruitment campaign.

The photograph of the vile messaging and the symbol of the hateful German Nazi regime was taken close to a popular walking track just minutes from homes at Killarney Heights.

Racist neo-Nazi graffiti scrawled on an abandoned Commonwealth building close to a popular walking trail at Bantry Bay, near Killarney Heights. It could be part of a local racist recruitment campaign, an expert said. Picture: Supplied

It has emerged just days after the Manly Daily reported that alarming marketing material for a notorious far right white supremacist organisation had started appearing on the northern beaches.

Concerned residents in Forestville and Killarney Heights have been removing a trail of stickers promoting the National Socialist Network (NSN), an extremist group that advocates for a “White Australia”.

An expert in terrorism violent extremism told the Manly Daily on Monday that the emergence of the “white power” graffiti and stickers for the NSN could be part of a local recruitment strategy.

Professor Michele Grossman, of Melbourne’s Deakin University, said the material could also be a way for the group to announce its presence on the northern beaches and saying “we’re here”.

“It’s either local members of NSN – they have had to get hold of the material somewhere – or it’s an exploratory tactic to see if it gets any local bites.” Prof. Grossman said.

“The material’s purpose is to get people online and search for the group.”

Prof. Grossman also suggested that the graffiti and placing marketing material in public places act as a “calling card” to generate local interest.

“It adds oxygen to their cause and is meant to grab media attention.”

Locals have discovered the colourful stickers from the Melbourne-based neo-Nazi NSN, with the slogan “Australia for the White Man”, on power poles in residential streets.

Images from Gab of a National Socialist Network gathering in the Grampians. Picture: Gab.

A female resident removed two stickers, at different times, from the bus shelter next to the children’s playground in Cook St at Forestville.

A sticker has also turned up at the Poppy Park playground and public barbecue area at the Forestville War Memorial Playing Fields.

On its website NSN said it was “forming local groups of like-minded activists.”

The group, which has posted photographs of its members performing the Nazi salute, gained national notoriety earlier this year after it was reported by News Corp that up to 40 of its members burnt crosses and chanted racist slogans while on a trip to western Victoria.

NCA Newswire has reported that it has stepped up its recruitment and propaganda activities in Sydney over the past year.

neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network performing Hitler salutes at Swinburne University in Melbourne.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff condemned the graffiti as “an insult to the people of Manly and all Australians”.

“The swastika represents the Nazi regime, which was responsible for the murder of six million Jews and which 27,000 Aussies lost their lives combatting during World War 2,” Mr Alhadeff said.

“It’s appalling that there are people out there who think it’s a good idea to promote this symbol, which represents the ultimate in race hatred. All well-meaning people stand united in condemning it.

“One such act is one too many, and unfortunately we have seen far too many in recent times.”

The man who found the swastika and White Power slogans in a building at the former Bantry Bay Explosives Depot said it was “pretty shocking to see”.

Asking not to be identified, the man said the fenced off depott just off the popular Magazine Track, was not that well known to non-locals.

“It was quite alarming to be on an afternoon bush walk and stumble upon Nazi graffiti in a place I was so familiar with,” he said.

“Because the area is only really known to northern beaches’ locals, it’s confronting to think that people like this are hiding out there around us.”

When contacted by the Manly Daily about the material NSW Police released a statement saying that “each police area command and police district in NSW plays an active role in investigating any report of bias-motivated crime.

“This includes offensive and/or threatening messaging on graffiti, posters, and stickers; and other offences motivated by bias, hate, political views or ideology,” a spokesman said.

Attempts have been made to contact the National Socialist Network for comment.