A fortnight after neo-Nazis held a powerlifting meet at a Melbourne gym, the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF) and the National Union of Students LGBTI Department have jointly announced a rally aimed at driving them out.
On July 29, 2023, local neo-Nazi white supremacist groups National Socialist Network, led by Thomas Sewell, and the European Australian Movement held a ‘WHITE POWER Lifting Meet at Legacy Boxing Gym in Sunshine West.
Protesters gathered outside the gym to oppose the event chanting ‘No hate, no fear! Nazis are not welcomed here’.
CARF and the National Union of Students LGBTI Department have called for another protest march to the gym on September 23.
National Union of Students LGBTI officer Grace Hill said that on the day of the neo-Nazi meet, over 350 counter-protestors had gathered outside the gym.
Over 350 people marched side by side against the nazis, taking a determined stand against everything these bigots promote, and to defend the rights of migrants, refugees, LGBT people, women, Jews and all oppressed groups. Residents came out of their homes and cheered us on,” said Hill. “The whole time the Nazis hid inside their gym, refusing to show their faces.”
According to CARF organiser Jasmine Duff, the protest march is intended to keep the pressure up on the neo-Nazis.
“In the middle of one of Melbourne’s most multicultural suburbs, white supremacists are operating a gym that has become their recruiting headquarters. We are determined to drive them out,” Duff said in a statement.
Read the article by in StarObserver.