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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.聽

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.聽

Protesters gathered outside the gym to oppose the event chanting ‘No hate, no fear! Nazis are not welcomed here’.聽

CARF and the National Union of Students LGBTI Department have called for another protest march to the gym on September 23.聽聽

Neo-Nazi Meet

 

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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.聽

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.鈥�

According to CARF organiser Jasmine Duff, the protest march is intended to keep the pressure up on the neo-Nazis.聽

鈥淚n the middle of one of Melbourne鈥檚 most multicultural suburbs, white supremacists are operating a gym that has become their recruiting headquarters. We are determined to drive them out,鈥澛� Duff said in a statement.聽

No Nazis

鈥淥n September 23rd, we鈥檙e going to have an even larger community rally which draws people in from around the Western suburbs and across Melbourne to march on the gym. We鈥檒l walk with our heads held high, knowing we鈥檙e standing on the right side of history. We will converge on their gym, and we鈥檒l take up the slogan that has been shouted by antifascists for decades: 鈥淣o Nazis, never again!鈥�

“We need to keep the pressure up and drive them out. They want a white Australia. But our city is diverse. Unfortunately, they feed off the racist scapegoating that is common among right-wing politicians, so we need to stand against this also,鈥� added Duff.