Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Premier Chris Minns condemn Australia Day neo-Nazi demonstrators

NSW Premier Chris Minns has unveiled his plan to take on right wing extremists after a group of neo-Nazis attempted to disrupt Australia Day festivities.

NSW Premier Chris Minns vowed to take strong action against right-wing extremists after a group of neo-Nazis boarded a Sydney train on Australia Day while wearing balaclavas.

A large police presence stormed North Sydney train station at about 11.30am on Australia Day after reports that a group of about 60 men were seen boarding a train onto the city wearing balaclavas and all-black outfits.

The men are believed to be affiliated with the National Socialist Network (NSN), which is led by the self-appointed leader and convicted criminal Thomas Sewell.

The group of men was seen boarding a train dressed entirely in black, one carrying an Australian flag.

Police stopped the group of about 61 men at North Sydney station. Picture: Supplied / X (@JaseAURunner

Police arrested six members of the group on Friday morning and issued 61 infringement notices for offensive behaviour. Two members have since been released without charge.

NSW Premier Chris Minns strongly denounced the act, and said he would be open to strengthening laws against “White Power salutes”.

He said officers were ale to slow down the trains between Artarmon – where the group boarded – and North Sydney, in order to allow officers from the Public Order and Riot Squad, and the North Sydney Command to intercept the group.

“This menace was stopped before a very ugly confrontation on Sydney’s streets. There is no place for this kind of fascism, Neo-Nazism, or far-right extremism on this great day, Australia Day,” he told reporters.

“The vast, vast majority of people that live in (this) state would complete reject any notion or idea that this group of far right extremist and neo-Nazis are needed on our national day.”

Prior to the incident, the group had been issued a public safety order by NSW Police to stay away from Australia Day events.

Mr Minns was adamant that the behaviour was not welcome in NSW, and said anyone who was “attempting to reconvene and do this again,” would be met with “overwhelming force from the NSW Police”.

“As I said yesterday, no normal person wears a balaclava let alone on Australia Day on the public transport system,” he said.

“If it wasn’t so menacing, it would be completely ridiculous”.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was open to strengthening NSW’s laws against ‘White Power salutes’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Nikki Short

The Premier also flagged the potential for the state to pursue further legal changes to “keep community safe”.

“It’s important to get this investigation over and done with, but I’ll be talking to my colleagues and NSW Police, as well as the Attorney-General (Michael Daley) about next steps,” said Mr Minns.

This follows the NSW government’s recent announcement that it will be conducting a review into section 93Z of the Crimes Act, which legislates laws against publicly threatening or inciting violence against someone based on the grounds of race, or religious belief or affiliation.

Speaking from Orange, in NSW’s Central Tablelands, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday joined in the condemnation of the group’s behaviour.

He said he was “horrified” by the images from Australia Day.

“I don’t want to see people in balaclavas, dressed in black from head to toe, who are engaged in neo-Nazi activity in this country,” he said.

“It has no place and it has rightly been condemned by all decent people”.

Mr Albanese also congratulated NSW Police for their “urgent and immediate” response to dispel what he says could have been a “very dangerous activity”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was shocked by the scenes of neo-Nazi demonstrators flooding Sydney trains. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

“I say again that people have a responsibility to avoid some of the activity that we’ve seen in promoting hatred, in promoting division because it is not the Australian way,” he said.

“We need to look always for unity, for hope, for optimism, not hatred, and fear and that is something that will drive my political activity.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said it was “shocking to see a gang of neo-Nazis roaming freely through our streets”.

“The police were right to restrain them to prevent any possibility of violence,” he said.

This incident reminds us how fragile our social order is and the need for vigilance in the face of violent movements intent on spreading lies, hatred and fear.”

Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Premier Chris Minns condemn Australia Day neo-Nazi demonstrators