Neo-Nazis Who Gathered In Victoria Claim They Are The Ones Who Are Suffering

Australia was shocked and confronted when pictures of a white nationalist group gathering in Victoria went viral on social media.

Around 40 men from the National Socialist Network burned a cross, shouted racist slogans and did Hitler salutes at Lake Bellfield in the Grampians over the Australia Day weekend.

News Corp reports the group feel like they're being hard done by in Australia for being straight, white men.

Facebook

The news organisation conducted a deep dive on the social media used by members of the group and one person explained how difficult it is living in Australia.

"Somehow, they blame you for the unpleasantness, but really nobody wants the storm that is coming and none more than us because we'll be the ones suffering the most," one post read.

Another post reveals the National Socialist Network is so far-right that they think the Proud Boys is 'soft'. They also praised the efforts of the Capitol insurrection last month and claims it didn't go far enough in overthrowing democracy.

When they gathered in the Grampians last weekend, the cheered on each other for not being arrested by police.

"We managed to get forty racist white men to march through the Grampians singing Waltzing Matilda," one post on social media said.

"We're not killing people, and we're not engaging in serious criminal activity."

The threat of right-wing extremism is growing in Australia. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) revealed violent extremist groups on the right now take up 40 per cent of its counter-terrorism workload.

To illustrate the rise in threat, it was at just 10 per cent before 2016.

There are calls to add the National Socialist Network to the government's anti-terror list so that officials can keep a better eye on them.

Dr Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said the risk posed by far-right groups should be taken seriously.

He's worried if the group is allowed to go about their business unchecked then we could be looking at another Christchurch terror attack.

The terrorist who carried out the attack that killed 51 people and injured dozens more was radicalised by online far-right groups.

"Make no mistake, the dangerous rhetoric that these Hitler worshippers are spewing can cross the line into real-world lethal attacks," he told news.com.au.

"Who would have thought in 2021 Australia, in a week in which we commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the modern face of Hitler would reveal itself in our state without consequence?

"Neo-Nazi ideologies and rallies are alive and well in Victoria, and these homegrown SS soldiers, who dream of a Fourth Reich with an Australian Hitler at the helm, are a clear and present danger, agitating for a racial war and recruiting like-minded bigots."

The anti-terrorism squad of Victoria Police are now reportedly investigating the group.

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie