The Morning Edition March for Australia: Why weren’t neo-Nazis stopped?
Sep 1, 2025
Join senior writer Michael Bachelard, who witnessed the anti-immigration rallies in Melbourne, and Maria O’Sullivan, an Associate Professor specializing in protest law, as they dissect the alarming rise of neo-Nazi groups in Australia. They explore why these protests erupted now and the intricate balance between free speech and hate speech laws. Bachelard and O’Sullivan also discuss the troubling involvement of politicians in these events and the implications for social harmony and human rights in contemporary Australia.
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Mixed Crowd And Neo‑Nazis Leading
- Michael Bachelard describes the Melbourne rally crowd as a mixed bag including ordinary anti-immigration protesters and a small but organised neo-Nazi contingent.
- He says neo-Nazis ended up leading parts of the rally due to lack of other organisation.
Sewell's Stage Moment
- Thomas Sewell took the main stage in Melbourne and spoke like a recruiter targeting the broader anti-immigration crowd.
- Sewell used language about
Law Is A Blunt Tool
- Maria O'Sullivan highlights legal limits: racial vilification laws require specific incitement and Nazi symbol bans only catch symbol use.
- She warns police arrests can consolidate extremist identity and that law is only part of the solution.