Melbourne, Australia – A recent far-right “anti-immigration” march in Melbourne escalated into a violent attack on Camp Sovereignty, a sacred Indigenous site and protest camp.
The incident has raised serious questions about police conduct and institutional responses to neo-Nazi groups in Australia. On August 31, 2025, members of the self-described neo-Nazi National Socialist Network (NSN) led chants of “Australia for the white man” during the “March for Australia” rally, which culminated in a group of 50 men storming Camp Sovereignty.
The attack, described as a “targeted act of violence” by First Peoples Victoria, left four people injured, with two hospitalized for severe head wounds.
Witnesses reported that the attackers, armed with poles and pipes, charged towards the camp, assaulting anyone in their path, tearing down First Nation flags, and inflicting damage to the site.
The Black Peoples Union alleged that the attackers chanted “white power” and racial slurs while stamping on the camp’s sacred fire and trampling on the Aboriginal flag.
The police response to the attack has been widely criticized, with allegations that officers arrived at the camp only after the attackers fled and came with pepper spray drawn on the victims, not the attackers.
Naarm Frontline Medics also accused officers of actively obstructing the victims’ access to emergency medical care. Victoria Police confirmed they made no arrests at the site. Senator Lidia Thorpe has demanded a full investigation into the attack and directly linked the slow police response to systemic racism in Australian society.
“We see how the Victorian Police treat Aboriginal people every day on the streets. There needs to be a full investigation on the infiltration of the neo-Nazi movement into not only the Victorian police force, but every so-called police force in this country,” Thorpe said. “I’m sure there’s a lot more members of the NSN that wear badges amongst the police force,” she added.
The attack has been condemned by Aboriginal leaders, who argue that it highlights the institutional hypocrisy in dealing with far-right violence in Australia.
The NSN’s leader, Thomas Sewell, was arrested and charged more than 48 hours after the attack, and five other NSN members were arrested and released on bail.
Despite the arrests, authorities have not classified the attack as a racially motivated hate crime, prompting condemnation from Aboriginal leaders.
“Camp Sovereignty is our place of worship. For the authorities, even the federal parliament and the prime minister, not to see this as a hate crime, to refuse to name it and treat it as one, shows we have a serious problem in this country. It’s racism in itself not to call it what it is,” Thorpe stated.
Researchers note that the attack on Camp Sovereignty is part of a growing, internationally connected far-right threat. The NSN is “heavily networked with the international far right” through groups like Terrorgram and 764/COM, with leaders playing a prominent role in the international active club network.
The group’s Telegram channel displays multiple videos showing members training in combat techniques and chanting “white men fight back,” content promoted across their TikTok accounts and official website.
In response to the attack, a nationwide day of action has been called by Aboriginal resistance organization The Blak Caucus on September 13 to show solidarity with Camp Sovereignty.
The incident has sparked renewed discussions around the safety of First Nations communities in Australia and the ongoing fight for cultural recognition and respect.