Neo-Nazis who tried to disrupt refugee protesters’ 100th night demonstrating outside the Department of Home Affairs in Docklands were pushed back by police who doused them with pepper spray.
Police dispersed a black-clothed and balaclava-clad group near a refugee encampment on Tuesday night, sending them running as demonstrators cheered.
Neo-Nazis had already disrupted the encampment twice since it began in July, according to the Tamil Refugee Council. Designated “spotters” saw about 20 men dressed in black and wearing balaclavas approach the demonstration about 6pm.
Refugee Action Collective spokesperson David Glanz said the men stood next to the rally and chanted “white power” and “hail victory”, and that refugee protesters moved to block their path in response.
A row of police officers, arms linked, advanced on the neo-Nazis, forcing them to retreat. Several police officers then surged forward dispensing pepper spray, while the rest of the officers formed a physical barrier separating the neo-Nazis from the refugee group, who continued to chant and bang drums.
The neo-Nazis returned and there was a standoff in a park for a short while – some brandished a banner that read “f--- off we’re full” – before they left for the final time.
The group was later seen at Kirrip Park in South Melbourne, removing their balaclavas and black clothing and appearing to clean themselves up.
“In the end, the police essentially pushed them away,” Glanz said.
“Our rally continued. It was a real festival of resistance, celebrating the incredible sacrifice that refugees have made with 100 days of round-the-clock encampment.”
Victoria Police confirmed there were no arrests nor any reported injuries at the event, which was attended by about 300 refugee demonstrators.
Neo-Nazis dressed in black and wearing balaclavas at the refugee protest.
“It is understood a group of about 20 people attended the rally just before 6pm,” said a police spokesperson.
“Officers formed a line to separate the two groups before they [police officers] were forced to deploy OC [pepper] spray.
“Police will assess the circumstances surrounding the demonstration and review vision of the incident and people involved.”
The refugees and their supporters have been steadfast in their encampment outside the Department of Home Affairs office for months, demanding the federal government put an end to their “limbo” and approve permanent visas.
At the centre of the issue is an Abbott government policy from 2014 that retrospectively meant people who arrived in Australia by boat between August 2012 and July 2013 – before the introduction of offshore processing – would not be granted permanent residency in Australia.
The policy created a “fast-track” process for assessing refugee status, and those who were found to be refugees could only ever get temporary protection visas. About 30,000 people were affected.
Labor’s policy at the last election called for the fast-track system to be abolished and, when it came into government, it gave about 20,000 people with refugee status permanent visas.
But for about 8500 people who never went through the refugee-assessment interview, whose refugee status was denied, or who have been stuck in appeals processes, there has been no resolution.
The refugees at the encampment have been “in this state of limbo for more than 12 years”, Tamil Refugee Council spokesperson Aran Mylvaganam said.
“From the day we started the encampment, the refugees brought so much energy to the campaign. They’re really desperate for a resolution.
“When the Nazis turned up, there was a bit of disruption, but they were chased away, the energy was maintained, and people continued on with the rally.
“[But] it’s obviously a horrifying experience for a lot of refugees who’ve fled similar sorts of issues in their homeland … and they are fighting for their basic rights.”
Mylvaganam said the refugees at the encampment have been subjected to other racist attacks in addition to those by the neo-Nazis.
“My hand was dislocated as a result of a racist attack earlier in the encampment,” he said.
With Natassia Chrysanthos and Henrietta Cook
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