‘No room for racists’: Hundreds take to the streets of Melbourne in protest against far-right groups who held a rally against gang violence
- Hundreds of protesters have taken part in an anti-racism march in Melbourne
- The rally was organised after far-right groups organised neo-Nazi rally last week
- Supporters marched down Swanston St and gathered outside the State Library
Hundreds of anti-racism activists have taken to the streets of Melbourne to protest far-right groups who organised a neo-Nazi rally.
The protesters marched down Swanston Street and gathered outside the State Library of Victoria on Saturday, holding signs such as ‘Say no to racism’.
Shocking footage from last week’s St Kilda rally showed far-right supporters performing gestures with Nazi salutes on the foreshore.
Hundreds of anti-racism activists (pictured) have taken to the streets of Melbourne to protest against far right groups who organised a neo-Nazi rally last week
The rallygoers marched down Swanston Street and gathered outside the State Library of Victoria (pictured) on Saturday, where they protested against last weekend’s rally
The gathering was organised by the Campaign against Racism and Facism to express their opposition to white supremacy, fascism and various other ideologies
Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam on Saturday described some of the feedback she had received following last week’s protest.
‘We should stop all Muslim and black African immigration before the crime level gets out of control,’ was one of the messages Ms Ratnam said she received.
One of today’s protesters said she wanted everyone who witnessed last weeks rally to know there are hundreds of people in Melbourne who oppose racism and Nazism.
The gathering was organised by the Campaign against Racism and Facism to express their opposition to white supremacy, fascism and various other ideologies.
Many people equally as opposed to last week’s rally took to social media to share their thoughts about Saturday’s march.
‘Proud to March in Melbourne today,’ one person wrote.
The gathering was organised by the Campaign against Racism and Facism to express their opposition to white supremacy, fascism and various other ideologies
One of the key messages from Saturday’s protest was ‘Stand with the African-Australian community’
‘Melbourne marching against self declared fascists and neo Nazis,’ another person said.
A third person added: ‘No room for racism and fascism in Melbourne.’
At last week’s St Kilda rally, right-wing figureheads Blair Cottrell and Neil Erikson demanded answers about why African gang crime rates are increasing and claimed little is being done about it.
Roaring crowds from each side were separated by a wall of armed police officers, mounted police and the riot squad, who attended the ‘peaceful discussion’.
Police officers were also in attendance on Saturday, patrolling the crowd outside the State Library, along with the mounted brigade at the corner of Swanston Street and LaTrobe Street.
Two people were removed by police, 7 News reported.
Last Saturday, about 100 people gathered at St Kilda beach in Melbourne to protest against African gangs across the city