Neo-Nazis gathered in Melbourne for ‘No’ rally against Voice to Parliament
One of Australia’s most respected journalists called it a “really disturbing” sight as thousands gathered for the ‘No’ campaign today.
Days after neo-Nazis clashed violently with anti-fascists in the Melbourne suburb of Thornbury, they were out again — this time in a disturbing show of support for the No campaign against the Voice to Parliament.
Members of the extremist National Socialist Network, including leader Thomas Sewell, gathered on the steps to Parliament House on Saturday holding a sign that read: “Voice = Anti White.”
The group gatecrashed the event wearing black masks to cover their faces and were heckled by members of the public and, on one occasion, pepper-sprayed by police.
ABC journalist Patricia Karvelas called the scenes “really disturbing”.
Really disturbing https://t.co/Z0TlKZTnUM
— Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) September 23, 2023
It came days after neo-Nazis were filmed in the inner north suburb of Thornbury, marching down the middle of High Street where they clashed with members of Antifa who had gathered for an “anti-fascist fundraiser” held at Cafe Gummo.
Social media and CCTV footage aired by Nine News showed the two groups brawling in the middle of High Street as the neo-Nazis were chased away for several blocks by Antifa supporters chanting, “Nazi scum! Nazi scum!”
“Get the f**k out of here!” one person can be heard yelling.
Witness Brittany Wadforth told Nine News, “I thought they were filming a movie. Some of the men with the balaclavas were sort of waving their knives around. When I kept driving I noticed that people were turning around, so they must have been going for quite a distance.”
Police were called to the scene but no arrests were made.
The Melbourne event on Saturday coincided with similar rallies around Australia organised by pro-Russian activist Simeon Boikov.
At least 10,000 were predicted by organisers to join the rally’s main location at Hyde Park in Sydney. However, the crowd in Sydney appeared to be much smaller.
Other rallies were held in Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, as well as regional locations including Casino and Yeppoon.
Former United Australian Party member Craig Kelly was the headline speaker at the Sydney rally, and used his platform to draw attention to the “small group of dedicated, patriotic” people behind the No campaign.
The rally was one of the last major pushes for the No campaign, as Australia is less than a month out from the historic referendum which will determine whether an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament should be established.
The rally was called the “World Wide Rally For Freedom In Support Of No To the Voice,” and was being described by organisers as a “wake-up call” to the nation ahead of the Voice referendum.
In northern Sydney, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took a walk through the shops at West Ryde to promote the Yes campaign.
Meanwhile in Brisbane, thousands turned out for Brisbane Pride with many wearing Yes23 merchandise in support of the campaign.
Brisbane Pride announced in a statement that they are a supporter of the Yes campaign, saying they “stand alongside our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander friends, family and community”.
“We understand the struggles of being a voiceless minority, where decisions are made for you and without you,” the statement said.
It will be six years this December since a plebiscite in Australia achieved a majority ‘yes’ vote in support of marriage equality for LGBTQIA+ people.
“So, as we celebrate Pride, let us also rally and call to action to vote YES in October,” the statement read.
Yes23 Campaign Campaign Director Dean Parkin addressed a crowd at the Pride Rally alongside Queensland MPs Leeanne Enoch and Grace Grace.
— with NCA Newswire
Biscuit killer’s big court win
A wife who killed her husband with drugged biscuits after a decade of “insidious” abuse has secured a huge court win.
Major ruling on Bunnings cameras
Cameras capturing the faces of shoppers at one of Australia’s biggest retailers breached privacy laws, the Privacy Commissioner has ruled.
Ex-cop faked drug case evidence
A “wrongly prosecuted” woman’s life was thrown into disarray after the actions of a dodgy detective implicated her in a drug trafficking case. Now he’s behind bars.