LGBTQI and community groups have said they will form a protective ring outside the Victorian Pride Centre after messages surfaced on Telegram channels about plans by suspected neo-Nazis and Proud Boys to target a drag event on Thursday, December 8.
The event, Glitter Nova, is being organised by the City of Stonnington at the Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda, Australia’s first LGBTQI community hub. The event for young people aged 12 to 25, will feature drag workshops and performances by drag performers including Alexander McKween, Belial B’Zarr and Randy Roy.
On Wednesday messages were shared on the Telegram channels XYZ News, Turning Point Australia and Australian Meditations Nationalist Yarn chat, run by suspected National Socialist Network members about the event.
The chats had messages about protests being planned by a group called ‘People Against Pedos’, alleging that a “child grooming event” was being organised in Melbourne.
Star Observer has reached out to Victoria Police and will update the story when they respond.
The White Rose Society, a collective of anti-fascist researchers, posted on Twitter that the organisers, performers and the council were aware of the planned protests. “We’re aware this event is being threatened by Nazis and Proud Boys,” the collective said.
Read the article by Shibu Thomas in Star Observer.