Confronting footage has shown more than 100 neo-Nazis marching through the streets of Melbourne before they squared off with police.
Members of the National Socialist Network (NSN) gathered in the CBD and marched along Bourke Street, dressing in all black clothing, before police were called to intervene on Saturday morning.
Police vehicles were seen arriving at the scene with lights flashing, but they let the march continue as protesters held Australian flags, and a ‘White Man Fight Back’ sign.
The group walked to nearby Flagstaff Gardens and dispersed at about 1.25am.
‘Around 100 people dressed in black with face coverings marched through the Melbourne CBD,’ a Victorian Police spokeswoman said.
‘It is alleged an altercation occurred during the protest where a man confronted the group and was assaulted.’
The 26-year-old man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
It is not the first time neo-Nazi groups have marched through Melbourne’s streets.
Neo-Nazis march through Melbourne’s CBD in the early hours of Saturday morning holding a ‘White Man Fight Back’ sign
‘Victoria Police respects the right to protest however there is absolutely no place for antisemitic, racist or hate-based behaviour in our society and police will not tolerate such activity,’ a police statement read.
National Socialist Network members reportedly gathered again as the sun came up at Bacchus Marsh in Melbourne’s outer west.
Bacchus Marsh locals were told of the group’s planned march prior to Saturday.
‘We want to alert you to a concerning event planned in our community: a neo-Nazi gathering has been scheduled to take place in the Bacchus Marsh area on August 8, 9 and 10,’ a flyer handed out read.
‘This group, the NSN, promotes hate, violence, and dangerous extremist ideologies that threaten the safety and unity of our community.
‘Members will be coming from all over Australia. For the first time, they have invited their supporters to join them as well.’
There will be a bigger police presence between Melton and Ballarat over the weekend.
Victoria Police told Daily Mail that there were no protests happening in Melbourne as of 11.45am on Saturday.
About 100 neo-Nazis gathered in Melbourne just after midnight on August 9
Aussies have criticised the protest.
‘Australia is multicultural so no, they are NOT standing up for ‘Australians,’ one person wrote online.
Another described them as a ‘pathetic little club of cowards’.
‘Not one of those manchild scumbags is doing anything, they just only feel strong in a gang,’ they said.
‘Separate them and you have a club of snivelling babies.’
It comes after a previous white supremacist march outside a shopping centre in Melbourne in June where a group gathered outside Northland Shopping Centre in Preston.
They were filmed dressed in black with their faces covered while chanting slogans such as ‘white man, fight back’ and ‘white pride’ while holding an offensive banner.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described that demonstration as ‘hateful’ and ‘extremist’ and said it had ‘no place’ in Victoria.
