Two men have been arrested after a group of neo-Nazis clashed with police and counter-protesters at an anti-immigration rally on the streets of Melbourne.
Wild scenes erupted as police wrangled crowds outside Parliament House, where a group of masked men dressed in black performed the Nazi salute, sparking a bitter war of words that escalated into shoving and bottles being thrown.
Members of a Campaign Against Racism and Fascism group chanted “refugees welcome, Nazis are not” as they faced off with a group holding a banner for the far-right National Socialist Network.
Police arrested a 30-year-old Doreen man for theft of a police body camera and assaulting police, while a 20-year-old Werribee man was arrested for discharging a missile and assaulting police.
Federal Labor MP Chris Bowen condemned the protests.
“It’s unspeakably un-Australian,” he said.
“It’s unacceptable. It is not on.”
A spokeswoman said police had been appalled at the acts displayed in Melbourne on Saturday.
“Everyone has the right to feel safe in our community regardless of who they are,” she said.
“We understand incidents of anti-Semitism can leave communities feeling targeted, threatened and vulnerable.
Hate and prejudice has no place in our society.”
Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto slammed the protest and thanked the police for their work.
Read the article by in Perth Now.