Neo-Nazi Group Says It Will Disband After Proposed Hate Speech Laws
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Neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network has announced its intent to disband in response to the federal government’s proposed hate speech laws.
In a statement posted to encrypted messenger app, Telegram, the group announced that its closure would also see the end of its “co-projects” White Australia, the European Australian Movement and the White Australia Party.
“If the laws pass, there will [be] no way to avoid the organisation being banned,” the statement read.
“This disbandment is being done before the laws take effect to avoid former members of the organisations from being arrested and charged.”
The group will close down late Sunday, with the statement signed by leader Thomas Sewell and other high-profile white nationalists.
The statement wrote that each state chapter would have a 鈥渇inal meeting鈥� to disband in person this weekend weekend, where 鈥渋nstructions will be given regarding the handling of memorabilia and membership material鈥�.
They signed off with Hitler Youth slogan, 鈥淏lood and honour鈥�.
Skepticism urged
Released to the public on Tuesday, new hate speech legislation enables the federal government to designate organisations as prohibited hate groups, making it a crime to associate with, recruit, train, fundraise, or provide support for a designated group, punishable by up to 15 years in jail.
The proposal is expected to be debated in parliament next week.
The National Socialist Network made headlines on November 8 last year when around 60 men gathered outside of state parliament, holding a banner calling for the abolition of the 鈥淛ewish lobby鈥� after the event had been authorised by the police.
One of the more high-profile neo-Nazi groups in the world, the National Socialist Network trains its recruits in fitness and combat and advocate for the creation of “white communities”.
In 2022, members targeted a聽 featuring drag performers, and later a drag event scheduled to be held at the Victorian Pride Centre.
Around 30 members stormed anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen’s Let Women Speak rally outside Victorian Parliament in 2023, where they performed the Nazi salute and chanted 鈥渨hite power鈥�.
Last year they moved to form a political party by the name of White Australia.
The announcement of their closure has been cautiously welcomed, but is being met with some skepticism.
Asio director general, Mike Burgess, told a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday that there was a possibility the group’s disbanding could see it going underground.
鈥淵es there is a risk they go underground, but our job is to find the people who are hiding themselves in society, and we鈥檙e good at that 鈥� Of course, individuals don鈥檛 cease to exist, they鈥檙e still there in society and obviously the problematic ones we will continue to watch if they continue to be problematic,鈥� he said.
The National Socialist Network was one of two groups singled out by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke when discussing targets of the proposed laws. The other group mentioned was Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir.
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