Note: the following article contains distressing content.
In early August, a TikTok posted by an anonymous user called for Australians to organise and march against so-called mass migration. The now-deleted video, which gained over a million views, was created as a direct response to the Sydney Harbour Bridge Rally for Palestine on August 3.
“We’ll finally stand up for ourselves and take our country back,” read bubble text over patriotic stock footage. Song lyrics over the video were as direct: “We’ll take back what the enemy stole.”
Picked up and shared by former anti-COVID-lockdown activists, this TikTok would be the genesis of the March for Australia (MFA) less than one month later.
Thousands gathered in Melbourne’s CBD yesterday both in support of and in opposition to the MFA, one of a number of rallies and counter-rallies rolling out nationwide. Conjecture over who the official organisers were, claims of event ownership by the country’s largest neo-Nazi group the Nationalist Socialist Network (NSN), and support from sovereign citizens contributed to the chaotic and controversial lead-up to the day.
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Attendees of the March for Australia arriving at Flinders Street hours before the official midday start time
Matt Trihey, leader of nationalist group National Workers Alliance, was initially named as the organiser for the Melbourne rally. Trihey would bow out from organising for publicly unknown reasons. Hugo Lennon, who on social media goes by “Auspill”, was then floated as an organiser by leading names in the movement but rejected this notion, allegedly saying he would be out of the country at the time of the rally. In the end Lennon did make an appearance and even addressed the crowd as a speaker.
As for any doubt over the participation of neo-Nazis, the NSN led the march in Melbourne and NSN leader Thomas Sewell delivered one of the major speeches.
Anti-fascist activists clash with MFA attendees on the way to the rally
NSN members were seen marching on St Kilda Road to Flinders Street Station at around 11am. Anti-fascist activists were there to meet them, resulting in a violent encounter between the two before the start of the rally. The Italian anti-fascist song “Bella Ciao” played over a loudspeaker as they fought in the street. Pepper spray was directed at both sides by police.
Victoria Police deploy pepper spray
MFA attendees cross Princes Bridge to the rally under police escort
An anti-fascist activist is forced out of the rally by MFA attendees
March for Australia demonstrators assembled in front of Flinders Street Station for the rally’s noon start. After their encounter at Princes Bridge, NSN joined the crowd front-and-centre in the intersection. Enthusiasm was high as a sea of Australian and Eureka flags dominated the scene outside the city’s main transit hub.
“I’m sick of migration, we have to stop it for a while and get the country in order. Stop migration for five years or so,” said an attendee holding a sign reading “I’M NOT RACIST I HATE EVERYONE”.
“If you’re coming here, assimilate, and leave your bullshit over there.”
When asked if he had any concerns about marching alongside a neo-Nazi collective, he responded “I don’t like ‘em. Not my cup of tea.”
However, this was not a deterring factor in his decision to march that day.
“The major concerns are that the government’s not working for us. I’m compassionate for other nations. But first and foremost, we’ve got problems here,” stated Huey, a union member.
“I’m not against migration at all. Not at all, but it’s got to be done sensibly. You know what I mean … people, when they come to this country to contribute, not to bleed off.”
Huey elaborated, “’I’m not against immigration. I’m not against immigrants. I am against flooding our country with immigrants and us losing our identity.”
He remarked that he “didn’t care” about protesting alongside the NSN.
Tensions were high outside the station. An Asian street photographer became one of the first to be removed from the protest. Attendees mobbed the photographer, yelling “Deport! Deport! Deport!” before he was escorted out by police.
Victoria Police pull a street photographer from the rally after attendees accost him and chant, “Deport! Deport! Deport!”
Right-wing commentators Avi Yemini and Rukshan Fernando received similar treatment from NSN members, being pushed to the outer edges of the rally. The chant “Deport! Deport! Deport!” could be heard as the commentators continued to livestream the event.
Right-wing commentator Avi Yemini gets pushed away from the rally by rally attendees
NSN leader Thomas Sewell yells at Avi Yemini to leave the rally
A sign seen at the rally
A sign seen at the rally
Victoria Police advance towards the largest of the counter-protests to keep the groups separate, for a time
“There’s no mass migration. It’s a lie, it’s a furphy,” commented Janet, a pro-Palestine activist taking part in one of several counter-protests to the March for Australia.
“I’ve spoken to a couple of these people to find out where they’re getting the information from. They said the internet. So they’re getting a lot of incorrect, false information. And a lot of the people aren’t educated on the actual issue.”
“The National Socialist Network, I think it’s them who need to be actually run out of this country. They’re the ones that the police should be targeting. We are just here to voice our opinion against the slaughter in Palestine and the ultra-right white supremacist groups. I mean, they need to be actually declared terrorist groups themselves.”
A man in Trump and MAGA merchandise, a common sight at the rally
An MFA attendee
An MFA attendee
A variety of less-lethal firearms deployed and used by Victoria Police
Figurines representing Australian Labor Party politicians dangling by their necks
The rally moves down Flinders Street, making a right on Elizabeth Street where it would come into direct contact with a counter-protest
Victoria Police — working as hundreds of their colleagues remained deployed on the ongoing alpine manhunt for alleged cop-killer Dezi Freeman — had barricaded the north, east and south sides of the Swanston and Flinders Street intersection to keep various counter-protests away.
MFA attendees chanted “let us march” in an apparent request that barricades be moved so the group could march to Parliament House of Victoria. Police responded over a loudspeaker that demonstrators would only be allowed to march south down Flinders Street and, while initially met by boos, demonstrators complied. After turning onto Elizabeth Street, they came into direct contact with the thousands-strong counter-protest organised by pro-Palestine groups. Fights broke out in quick succession and police were slow to intervene, eventually deploying pepper spray on both parties and forcing the groups apart.
An attendee wearing a “FAFO” shirt is left bloody after being struck by a counter-protester in a clash
An attendee wearing a “FAFO” shirt is left bloody after being struck by a counter-protester in a clash
A sign seen at the counter-rally
A March For Australia attendee seen bloodied after clashing with counter-protesters
A counter-protester gives a middle finger after being doused with pepper spray by Victoria Police
A March For Australia attendee seen doused in pepper spray by Victoria Police
A bloodied counter-protester is arrested after being struck in a clash with MFA
A counter-protester seen doused in pepper spray by Victoria Police
A MFA attendee seen with at least four Australian flags
A sign seen at the counter-rally
“I don’t know what they’re trying to prove or even ask for anymore. I spoke to a bunch of protesters on the other side, and a lot of people seem very apathetic about the fact that the NSN are protesting alongside them,” commented one counter-protestor on the front lines.
“This is definitely a changing point,” they answered when asked what this day means for Australia.
A MFA attendee drags an Australian Flag over a counter-demonstrator
An MFA attendee holds a rosary
A sign seen at the counter-rally
“Mass immigration has gone way too far. For most of us, it’s not about where they’re from. We don’t care. But 700,000 [migrants per year] is not sustainable,” said Steven, who joined the March for Australia.
In regards to Australia’s future, he commented: “Housing will be worse. The lines of Centrelink will get longer.”
“There’s not really much patriotism anymore, you know, let’s be honest. In every other country on their national holiday, there’s flags everywhere, right? In Australia, not so much of the association. Look, I get it colonialism, you know, Aboriginals, all that sort of stuff. I’m not going to pretend they’re not hard done by, yeah, it’s horrible, horrible, what was happening to them. But that doesn’t mean we’re not here now.”
“There were Pro-Palestine protesters that tried to block the march before … and I’m like, dude, what are you doing? We’re on the same side. Yeah, we want Palestine to be free. You deserve to have a homeland. We’re happy to march with you, but you’re calling us racist for holding an Australian flag. It’s crazy … I’d happily march with them, but they won’t march with us.”
‘Steven’, who spoke to Crikey about his thoughts on the event
Many Australian flags wave before Parliament House of Victoria
A canine attendee
The Victoria Police Public Order Response Team stages on Spring Street
Vision from the steps of Parliament House of Victoria
Vision from the steps of Parliament House of Victoria
A planned group of speakers addressed the March for Australia from the steps of Parliament House of Victoria. Hugo “Auspill” Lennon preceded the finale, where NSN leader Thomas Sewell spoke to the crowd to a few jeers but an overwhelmingly positive response.
“Now, you might not like the guy’s favourite colour, or his particular opinions on history. But when you’re in a fight with people that hate this country, sometimes you have to learn how to make friends,” said Sewell, before leading the march away from Parliament.
Thomas Sewell speaks to great applause from the steps of Parliament House of Victoria
Thomas Sewell addresses media from the steps of Parliament House of Victoria
An MFA attendee
Matt Trihey, who was initially named as the event’s organiser before stepping aside, seen in attendance
A sign seen at the counter-rally
Shreds of an Australian flag seen on Bourke St Mall
Thomas Sewell leads the MFA down Bourke Street
The banner leading the MFA
A damaged sign held by an anti-Nazi protester
A bloodied anti-Nazi protester
Victoria Police deploy pepper spray on an anti-Nazi protester before making an arrest
A street photographer who was pepper-sprayed multiple times while photographing the day
After several more stand-offs with counter-protesters, the NSN-led march would once again head to Flinders Street Station. Two young women who were in the city to counter-protest the event were caught between police barricades and the March for Australia, one wearing a pride flag. They ascended onto a platform and stood alone facing the protest. They had beverages and eggs thrown at them before being pushed off the platform to the ground, where further scuffles broke out and police extracted them.
Two young women stand on a platform above MFA, one in a rainbow flag
An MFA attendee with a bottle of wine forced to the ground by officers
An MFA attendee points and shouts at Crikey photographer Alex Zucco
A man who heckled the MFA is thrown to the ground and arrested by officers
Pepper spray is deployed on MFA inside Flinders Street Station
MFA protesters covered in police pepper spray inside Flinders Street Station, with media caught in the crossfire
Flinders Street Station steps after the rally terminated
Hugo “Auspill” Lennon
‘White Australia’ fliers that were handed out to many in the city
The rear of a flier featuring the “White Australia” logo
After the March for Australia rally had dispersed, Aboriginal activists at the Camp Sovereignty site in Kings Domain were rushed by what appeared to be a group of protesters from the march, including National Socialist Network members.
Four of those at Camp Sovereignty were injured, with medics attending to those hurt at the scene.
“They came up marching towards us,” explained Blake, an activist who witnessed the attack. “When they got closer, the leader, he was yelling ‘charge.’”
A 16-minute Facebook Live video of the attack was published by Camp Sovereignty members just after 5pm.
The NSN used the group’s own materials to attack them, with stakes and logs from the campsite and a flag pole which was found dismantled at the scene.
Camp Sovereignty after being attacked. ‘The sacred fire still burns,’ Crikey was told
Photographs by Alex Zucco.
