Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 17:23, 19 September 2023

National Socialist Network

NSN flag
Abbreviation	NSN
Predecessor	Lads Society Antipodean Resistance
Formation	2020; 5 years ago (2020)
Type	Neo-Nazi extremist organization
Purpose	Neo-Nazism Anti-immigration Anti-LGBT Antisemitism Ultranationalism White supremacy Ecofascism
Headquarters	Victoria
Location	Australia Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
Leader	Thomas Sewell
Affiliations	European Australian Movement Action Zealandia
Website	national-socialist-network.info

Part of a series on
Far-right politics in Australia
Active organisations Australia First Australian League of Rights Australia One Australian Protectionists Freedom Party of Victoria Libertarian Party (Australia) (factions) My Place Australia National Socialist Network One Nation Soldiers of Odin True Blue Crew United Australia Party
Defunct organisations Antipodean Resistance Australia First Movement Australian Defence League Australians Against Further Immigration Australian National Socialist Centre Party Confederate Action Party Conservative National Party Lads Society National Action National Socialist Nationalist Alternative New Guard Q Society of Australia Reclaim Australia Rise Up Australia United Patriots Front Yellow Vest Australia
People Anning Babet Boikov E. Campbell G. Campbell Christensen Cottrell Erikson Fernando de Groot Hanson Hersant Kent Hughes Kelly Nalliah Saleam Sewell van Tongeren Windschuttle Yemini
Literature The New Road The Rallying Point: My Story of the New Guard The Fabrication of Aboriginal History (2002)
Related topics Antisemitism Anti-Chinese sentiment Anti-LGBT Conservatism in Australia COVID-19 protests (Convoy to Canberra) 2005 Cronulla riots Far-right terrorism in Australia (Christchurch mosque shootings) Genocide of Indigenous Australians Australian frontier wars (History wars) Islamophobia in Australia Neo-fascism Politics of Australia Stolen Generations Ultranationalism White Australia policy White nationalism White supremacy
Australia portal
v t e

The National Socialist Network (NSN) is an Australian neo-Nazi political organisation allegedly formed from two far-right organisations, the Lads Society and the Antipodean Resistance, in 2020. The organisation, based in Melbourne, claims to be active in all six state capitals and several regional cities. The group has used the protests against COVID-19 policies and other methods, such as media manipulation and attention-grabbing, to recruit new members.

The organisation, whose membership is unknown, is led by Thomas Sewell, former ADF member, Neo-Nazi, and convicted criminal. The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) released a report on October 5, 2022, in which it classified the National Socialist Network as a "white nationalist," "antisemitic," and "neo-Nazi" group.

The National Socialist Network often collaborates with the European Australian Movement, also led by Sewell.

Activities

2020

The group, adhering to its proclaimed methods of gaining attention and membership, has had numerous physical and intentionally provocative incidents. In 2020 a group of NSN members in Melbourne did a Nazi salute with a neo-Nazi flag at Swinburne University. A photo of the salute on their Facebook page read: "NSN would like to thank the student body and faculty for letting us promote National Socialism on campus without opposition. Swinburne for the White man!" A university spokesperson responded: “Swinburne University of Technology abhors the comments, and the symbols depicted in the photograph taken on our campus. The views and ideas of groups such as this run counter to everything our university stands for, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms.”

2021

On the Australia Day weekend in January 2021, the National Socialist Network, a new group created by members of the Antipodean Resistance and the Lads Society under the latter's leader Thomas Sewell, were observed parading Nazi paraphernalia and harassing bystanders at several locations around the Grampians National Park in Victoria. One Halls Gap resident said: "There were 40 white males, many with skinheads, some chanting ‘white power’". They were reported to have chanted "sieg heil" and "white power", burnt a cross, and posted stickers saying "Australia For The White Man".

2022

2023

In early January 2023, flyers belonging to the National Socialist Network were found in East Brisbane, Queensland.

On 13 January 2023, a Melbourne Magistrates Court sentenced Thomas Sewell to 150 hours of community service to be completed in 18 months.

On 26 January 2023, members of the NSN held a protest in Coburg, Victoria, where they displayed banners.

On 18 March 2023, approximately 30 members of the NSN, including Thomas Sewell, attended a rally in Melbourne in support of British anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, who spoke at the rally while visiting the city on her Australian and New Zealand tour. Members of the NSN marched down Spring Street, displayed a banner, performed Nazi salutes on the stairs of Parliament House, and referred to transgender people as paedophiles. A counterprotest in support of transgender rights, attended by many students, transgender activists, and socialists, clashed with the group. While the police, including several mounted officers, attempted to separate the two groups, there were some interactions (many of which were violent), and it was reported that pepper spray was used at least once. The events were condemned by the Labor Party, the Liberal Party and the Greens.

On 13 May Neo-Nazi and anti-fascist groups clashed in Melbourne at an anti-immigration rally, organised by NSN. Several objects including glass jars were thrown towards Sewell’s group of around 20 men, before police arrived. Police made several arrests on both sides, while also deploying capsicum spray. A police officer was also hit with pepper spray. Federal government minister Chris Bowen labelled the rally “unspeakably un-Australian”, calling the neo-Nazis who participated a “fringe of political lunatics who have no place in modern Australia”. The rally was also condemned across both sides of the Victorian Parliament, described as "toxic bigoty and hate" and "disgraceful and cowardly".

On 15 September 2023, a dozen neo-nazi antagonizers from NSN, were chased several blocks up High Street in Thornbury, by Antifa chanting, "Nazi scum! Nazi scum!", after they attempted to gatecrash an antifascist fundraiser. The event was hosted by Melbourne SHARPs, with 25% of proceeds going to Black People's Union, “in order to pay the rent and show solidarity with Indigenous sovereignty, liberation and their need for urgent mutual aid”. Witnesses said some of the masked neo-nazis were armed with knives. No arrests were made, as most involved scattered down side streets. One neo-nazi hid in the Thornbury theater for 2 hours before being evicted by security. The crowdfunding campaign has raised more than $9,800.

See also

• Australian National Socialist Party (ANSP) (1962-1968)
• National Socialist Party of Australia (NSPA) (1964-1977)
• Antipodean Resistance (2016-2018?)
• Lads Society (2017-2020?)

References

1. ^ McKenzie, Nick; Tozer, Joel (27 January 2021). "Neo-Nazis go bush: Grampians gathering highlights rise of Australia's far right". The Sydney Morning Herald. According to extremist experts, two right-wing groups, the Lads Society and Antipodean Resistance, recently helped form a new Australian extremist outfit, the National Socialist Network, which in turn helped organise the 38 young white men to assemble in the Grampians over the Australia Day weekend.
2. ^ Paynter, Jack (13 October 2020). "Alarm as neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network expands to Adelaide". News.com.au.
3. ^ Paynter, Jack (8 March 2021). "How extreme right-wing groups have 'weaponised the internet' in Australia". The Courier-Mail.
4. Kelly, Cait (26 October 2021). "How neo-Nazis are using anti-lockdown protests to recruit new members". The New Daily.
5. Wilson, Cam (20 April 2021). "Leaked neo-Nazis' manual reveals they're manipulating Australia's media to recruit new members". Crikey.
6. ^ Estcourt, David (3 March 2021). "Neo-Nazi group leader charged with assault of Channel Nine security guard". The Age.
7. "Australian neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell charged over alleged armed robbery". ABC News. 14 May 2021.
8. "Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell's vile act outside court after sentence for assault on Nine Network security guard". Kalgoorlie Miner. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
9. "GPAHE report: Far-Right Hate and Extremist Groups in Australia". Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
10. Burke, Kelly (6 July 2020). "Melbourne's Swinburne University condemns 'abhorrent' white supremacists' photo". Seven News.
11. ^ McKenzie, Nick; Tozer, Joel (27 January 2021). "The Australian Neo-Nazi movements going bush: Grampians cross burning spurs call for action". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
12. ^ Darling, Alexander (28 January 2021). "Calls for cross-burning neo-Nazis camped in The Grampians to be classified as terrorist group". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 5 April 2021.
13. Katsaras, Jason (2 September 2022). "Neo-Nazis prompt SA parliamentary inquiry". InDaily. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
14. McMillan, Isabel (10 January 2023). "'Unthinkable' neo-Nazi act in ritzy NSW, Qld suburbs". News.com.au.
15. "Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell avoids jail time over 'brutal' attack on Nine Network security guard". Guardian Australia. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
16. Dexter, Marta Pascual Juanola, Rachael (26 January 2023). "Holocaust survivors call for Nazi salute to be outlawed in Victoria". The Age. Retrieved 1 February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
17. Fox Koobe, Simone; Eddie, Rachel (19 March 2023). "Government may amend anti-vilification laws after neo-Nazis salute on Spring Street". The Age. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
18. "Nazi salutes performed on steps of Victorian parliament as protesters clash over trans rights". SBS News. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
19. Beazley, Jordyn; Readfearn, Graham; Readfearn (earlier), Graham (18 March 2023). "Neo-Nazis and trans rights protesters clash in Melbourne; bushfire alert for parts of Great Ocean Road – as it happened". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
20. "Protesters clash in Melbourne over transgender rights". Daily Liberal. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
21. Thomas, Shibu (19 January 2023). "After Protests Against Drag Shows, Neo-Nazis Perform Hitler Salute At Melbourne Lookout". Star Observer. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
22. ^ Yu, Andi; Hosier, Phoebe (15 September 2023). "Federal government labels neo-Nazis 'political lunatics' following violent clash at anti-immigration rally". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
23. ^ Bucci, Nino (13 May 2023). "Neo-Nazis clash with police and counter-protesters at anti-immigration rally in Melbourne". Guardian Australia. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
24. ^ Staveley, Patrick (13 May 2023). "Heavy police presence as neo-Nazis and anti-racism protesters clash during heated immigration rally in Melbourne". Sky News Australia. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
25. ^ Frank, Chung (19 September 2023). "Neo-Nazis brawl with Antifa in Melbourne". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
26. Chung, Frank (19 September 2023). "Neo-Nazis brawl with Antifa in Melbourne". News.com. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.

• 2020 establishments in Australia
• Organizations established in 2020
• Neo-Nazi organizations
• Neo-Nazism in Australia
• Anti-Asian sentiment in Australia
• Organizations that oppose LGBT rights