‘Singular evil’: Anti-hate advocate slams neo-Nazi group’s Hitler 134th birthday celebrations

A group of 20 neo-Nazis were involved in a “stomach-churning” display in Melbourne as part of an event “celebrating” Hitler’s birthday.

Australia’s leading anti-hate advocate has launched a scathing attack on a group of men who allegedly celebrated Adolf Hitler’s birthday at a Melbourne restaurant, labelling the act an expression of “singular evil”.

Dr Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC), has condemned a group of about 20 neo-Nazis who were captured performing the Nazi salute at a “family friendly” restaurant on Thursday.

Leader of the National Socialist Network Thomas Sewell, who was charged last year after assaulting a Nine Network security guard, was an attendee at the event held at the Bavarian – a restaurant at Victoria’s Knox City Shopping Centre.

Photos of the gathering, which were shared online and appeared in a statement by Dr Abramovich, showed the men raising their hands as one held a picture of Adolf Hitler and another held two ‘H’ balloons.

About 20 neo-Nazi’s were captured performing the Nazi Salute. Picture: Supplied

The “stomach-churning” event was coined a “sad and dark day for Australia’s democracy“ by Dr Abramovich, who led the national campaign to ban the Nazi swastika and launched a campaign alongside Holocaust survivors to criminalise the salute last year.

“Something is very wrong in Victoria, and we should be all alarmed by this brazen and stomach-churning outrage that will forever be a stain on our state,” he said.

“This beyond despicable display of Hitler worshipping and depravity belongs in Nazi Germany of the 1930s, not in a local restaurant where parents and children gather.”

Dr Abramovich went on to explain the “terrifying horror” such imagery would bring to a Holocaust survivor, particularly given the timing of the event.

“In the very week that the Jewish community across the country commemorated and mourned the systematic extermination of six million Jews at the hands of the Third Reich and its collaborators, these hardcore white supremacists celebrated the birthday of the very monster responsible for the gassing of mothers and babies and the shooting of families in open fields,” he said.

Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission and Australia. Picture: Supplied

The chairman concluded his statement by urging the Andrews government to see this event as a “wake-up call”, insisting a plan of action to combat the group needs to be enforced sooner rather than later.

“This is a timely wake-up call that we as a society need to keep a close watch on the resurgence of this dangerous movement if we want to prevent any further shooting rampages as we witnessed in New Zealand and other parts of the world. This is a fight we have to win,” he said.

Dr Abramovich‘s statement follows Sewell labelling Hitler’s 134th Birthday party a “great and eventful” night, where the group “enjoyed” German food and beer.

“Despite not breaking any laws and not disturbing a soul, we were set upon by a dozen scum from Victoria Police who were terribly upset we were celebrating this holy day instead of the government approved gay or paedophile holidays,” the Telegram post, seen by 3206 people, read.

Neo Nazi leader Thomas Sewell at Melbourne anti-trans rally last month. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“Being confronted by systemic violence while our families and babies were present we were forced to eat our Hitler cake while being escorted from the shopping centre under threat of political violence.

“They persecute us because they know we are rising and the world will learn the truth about Hitler and look to us for leadership.”

Another member of the neo-Nazi group who was present at the event featured in a second Telegram post performing the Nazi salute in front of a group of Victoria Police members.

“Victoria … Police decided to gatecrash and harass a celebration of Adolf Hitler’s Birthday … utilising Public Order Response and dozens of treasonous anti-White pigs,” the second leaked message read, featuring neo-Nazi member Jimeone Roberts’ name on the bottom.

“Despite total compliance, the … scum continued to attempt to instigate violence against wholesome family men simply enjoying a night out.”

A neo-Nazi member performs salute in front of Police. Picture: Supplied,

A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed police were in attendance at the licensed venue in Wantirna South on Thursday night.

“It is understood a group of people performed a Nazi salute at a venue on Burwood Highway and were asked to leave about 8.45pm,” they said.

The group were moved on and no offences were identified.

This latest event follows a group of neo-Nazi’s storming Victoria’s Parliament House steps last month during an anti-trans rights rally where Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull was in attendance.

About 30 people from the National Socialist Movement performed the Nazi salute multiple times while holding a sign that read “Destroy Paedo Freaks”.

Neo-Nazi members Ethan Hendren, Brodie Potts and Will Casdroff were all seen at the rally, with Hendren also captured in photos taken at the Knox restaurant event on Thursday.