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Neo-Nazis Attack Melbourne’s Camp Sovereignty, Sparking Outrage Over Police Response
A neo-Nazi mob attacked Camp Sovereignty, a sacred Aboriginal site in Melbourne, injuring four people. Critics accuse police of siding with far-right extremists & failing to treat the assault as a hate crime.
ND
by News Desk
2025-09-06
Neo-Nazis Attack Melbourne’s Camp Sovereignty, Sparking Outrage Over Police Response

A far-right “anti-immigration” rally in Melbourne turned violent last weekend when members of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Network (NSN) stormed Camp Sovereignty, a sacred Aboriginal site, leaving four people injured and exposing deep concerns about Australia’s response to far-right extremism.

The “March for Australia” protest, led by neo-Nazi organisers who chanted “Australia for the white man,” ended in a mob of about 50 men armed with poles and pipes charging Camp Sovereignty. The attackers, according to witnesses, tore down Indigenous flags, stamped on the sacred fire, and chanted “white power” while targeting women at the site.

Two victims were hospitalised with severe head injuries, while others sustained assaults including kicks and punches. “I had what looked like a 15-year-old boy throw me to the ground and smash my face with his fists. He did it with a smile,” one teacher told the Black Peoples Union.

Camp Sovereignty sits in Melbourne’s Kings Domain parkland, on a historic Aboriginal ceremonial site and burial ground. Established in 2006 by Elders Robbie and Marg Thorpe, it serves as both a memorial space and a hub for Indigenous resistance, advocating for sovereignty, land rights, and healing from intergenerational trauma.

Witnesses say police were aware of threats hours before the violence but failed to intervene. When officers eventually arrived, medics allege they pepper-sprayed victims instead of attackers and obstructed access to emergency care. Victoria Police later confirmed no arrests were made at the scene.

The NSN, which has extensive international links through far-right online networks, openly trains members in combat techniques and spreads propaganda via social media. Despite the group’s violent record, officials have been criticised for selective responses. Jillian Segal, Australia’s envoy to combat anti-Semitism, declined to comment on the attack, while police have not classified it as a racially motivated hate crime.

Aboriginal Senator Lidia Thorpe condemned the incident as a continuation of systemic racism. “Camp Sovereignty is our place of worship. For the authorities not to see this as a hate crime shows we have a serious problem in this country. It’s racism in itself not to call it what it is,” she said.

Thorpe linked the violence to broader injustices faced by Indigenous Australians, citing over 600 Aboriginal deaths in custody, widespread child removals, and disproportionate incarceration rates. “The genocide continues,” she warned.

More than 48 hours after the attack, NSN leader Thomas Sewell was arrested and denied bail, while five other members were detained and later released. Critics argue that the delay and the refusal to designate the assault as a hate crime demonstrate a troubling pattern of institutional bias.

Despite the violence, Indigenous groups have vowed to defend Camp Sovereignty. The Blak Caucus has called for a nationwide day of action on September 13 in solidarity with the camp and to demand accountability for the attack.

 
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