Australian politicians fail to condemn racist chants at anti-immigration protests
Demonstrations held across Australia were framed by organisers as "anti-immigration protests" and a chance to "stand up for Aussie culture"
SYDNEY, Australia (MNTV) – Australian politicians have defended “good people” who attended events “hijacked” by Neo-Nazis, raising concerns about whether leaders are turning a blind eye to blatant white nationalism, reports ABC.
The demonstrations held across Australia last Sunday were framed by organisers as “anti-immigration protests” and a chance to “stand up for Aussie culture”.
The reality is that at many of these events across Australia, Neo-Nazis and those involved with the far right used this as an opportunity to push racist ideology.
Chants like, “send them back”, and “stop the invasion”, were frequently used, while some in attendance told reporters: “There are too many Muslims and Indians here.”
Known Neo-Nazis told news outlets, “we are racist”, while other individuals claimed they were not and could see a place for some immigrants.
While some Australians may have attended to genuinely raise issues with immigration policy, it is also clear many turned out to support the concept of “white Australia”.
“The intention behind [these events] are readily apparent,” Liam Gillespie, a criminology lecturer at the University of Melbourne, said.
Gillespie said organisers of these events used “euphemisms” like “March for Australia” to motivate crowds to join in. “When you juxtapose that kind of messaging with the fact that their main political slogan is ‘Australia for the white man’, it reveals what they really mean,” he said.
Warnings ahead of the event
Neo-Nazis who addressed crowds used chants like “hail white Australia”, and invoked other Nazi symbolism.
It raises the question: do “good people” exercise their democratic right to protest in an environment so clearly rooted in hate and exclusion?
It was reported in the lead-up to these events that organisers were linked to white nationalistic views, and while some may have been unaware, for others, this may have been the appeal.
“Organisers of March for Australia tapped into ideas that were circulating, for example, in the lead-up to the Cronulla riots, ideas that were circulating prior to the London [race] riots in 2024, and they’ve tried to replicate that,” Gillespie said.
While it is easy for governments to condemn Neo-Nazis, it is clear they feel less comfortable condemning those who stand beside them.
Far-right groups have a long history of playing on social anxieties and existing biases to mobilise people towards their movements.
“We’ve seen them try to do this in relation to public concerns about terrorism and Islam, we’ve seen them do this in relation to concerns about COVID,” security expert Julian Droogan, from Macquarie University, told ABC News.
“We’re seeing [far-right groups] today doing this about concerns related to cost of living, immigration and multiculturalism,” Droogan said.
For those from diverse backgrounds, this is more than a political conversation but a real threat to their safety and sense of belonging in this country.
Aboriginal leaders spoke out after a group of men, including known Neo-Nazis, attacked Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne after the weekend’s demonstration.
“It’s horrific, violent, racist, and uncalled for,” said Victorian senator and Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung woman Lidia Thorpe.
“I’ve had feedback from families in community where kids are too frightened to go to school today because of those acts of terror,” she said.
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