CLP moves to distance party from ‘unsubstantiated’ Proud Boys, white supremacy link

The Country Liberal Party has moved to distance itself from ‘extremist views’ after a photo emerged during the Fannie Bay by-election.

UPDATE TUESDAY: The Country Liberal Party has moved to distance itself from “extremist views” after it emerged a man with apparent white supremacist sympathies was seen campaigning with the party during the Fannie Bay by-election.

But despite Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro’s office having been in possession of photographic evidence for almost a week, CLP whip Josh Burgoyne described it as an “unsubstantiated claim”.

“What I will say is that no political party should have any extremist views or members as a part of it,” he said.

“That’s what I will say in regards to that.”

The NT News reported on Sunday the man was seen wearing a polo shirt adopted by US far right militant group, the Proud Boys, and flashing a hand signal appropriated by white supremacists.

He was later also photographed campaigning with the Opposition Leader and spotted hobnobbing at the CLP’s by-election after-party.

Attorney-General Chasey Paech again called on Ms Finocchiaro to “publicly apologise to Territorians and denounce Proud Boys and all that they stand for”.

“There is no place in the Northern Territory for that type of vicious, discriminating, disgusting behaviour that targets vulnerable people,” he said.

“We are supposed to be a territory that is inclusive of all people and to have the CLP recently standing and getting photos with the individual who is alleged to be connected to proud boys is absolutely disgusting.

“The leader of the opposition needs to come out and provide Territorians with the clarity and the assurance: Is this person a member of the CLP? Did this person attend the CLP function in Fannie Bay as part of the by-election? Was this person out on the campaign trail?

“And the leader of the opposition needs to come out, call this disgusting behaviour out, denounce the Proud Boys and denounce the white supremacy and call it out.”

Almost a week after being provided with the photos, Ms Finocchiaro was asked about them at a press conference on Tuesday where she repeated the claim that the man’s links to the party were “unsubstantiated”.

“These are completely unsubstantiated claims and at any political party there is no room for any extremist views or methods,” she said.

Mr Paech accused the opposition of going “to ground” on the issue and called on the party to “come clean and tell Territorians the truth”.

“What is this man’s involvement with the CLP? And how far does the Proud Boys reach go into the CLP?” he said.

Meanwhile, complaints to the Territory’s Anti Discrimination Commission have reached their highest level in six years, with 371 complaints in the 2020-21 financial year.

There was a 38 per cent jump in the number of complaints compared to the previous year.

EARLIER: THE Territory government has called on Lia Finocchiaro to apologise after the Opposition Leader was photographed campaigning with an apparent white supremacist sympathiser.

The Country Liberal Party has refused to explain its links to the man, who was previously seen flashing a white supremacist hand sign while wearing a shirt linked to a far right extremist group.

The man was first pictured at an anti-Covid vaccine mandate rally in November last year making an OK hand sign, a gesture which has been appropriated by white supremacy groups.

The gesture was used by terrorist and convicted mass killer, Brenton Tarrant, in a New Zealand courtroom in 2019 where he later pleaded guilty to murdering 51 people during a shooting rampage at two Christchurch mosques.

In the picture, the man is also wearing a black and yellow Fred Perry polo shirt which has been adopted as a uniform by the US neo-fascist extremist group, the Proud Boys.

The man was then seen attending the CLP’s election night after-party following the Fannie Bay by-election earlier this month.

Another photo has now also emerged, showing the man posing with Ms Finocchiaro during the campaign.

The man makes an OK sign at an anti-Covid vaccine mandate rally in Darwin last year.

The NT News put questions to CLP management as well as Ms Finocchiaro’s office last week about the man’s links to the party and whether it was aware of his apparent white supremacist sympathies, but those questions were ignored.

Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison said the Opposition Leader “needs to apologise”.

“In the Territory we don’t tolerate racist views which bring harm onto others,” she said.

“There is no excuse for supporting racism and the CLP allowing these people with extreme racist views in their party. Territorians deserve better.”

The NT News has been unable to confirm the man’s identity and messages to a Facebook page that appears to be administered by him have also gone unanswered.

The Proud Boys shot to prominence after former US President Donald Trump refused to condemn the armed insurrectionists and called on them to “stand back and stand by” before they later participated in the January 6 storming of the Capitol.

Fred Perry discontinued the particular polo shirt the man is seen wearing in the picture in 2020 due to its association with the group, saying “that association is something we must do our best to end”.

“Fred Perry does not support and is in no way affiliated with the Proud Boys,” the company said in a statement.

“It is incredibly frustrating that this group has appropriated our black/yellow/yellow twin tipped shirt and subverted our laurel wreath to their own ends.”

Members of the male-only group take an oath to be a “proud western chauvinist” and have become known for their violent confrontations with anti-fascist groups.

While they are mostly based in the US, they also have a presence in Australia, the UK and Canada.

The Anti-Defamation League, which researches extremist groups, says the Proud Boys are bound by extreme male chauvinism, opposition to immigrants and Muslims, with some members also embracing white supremacy.