Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan was forced to abruptly end a morning press conference at Eades Park in West Melbourne after being confronted by notorious neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell, head of the extremist group National Socialist Network (NSN).
As Premier Allan, Treasurer Jaclyn Symes, and MP Sheena Watt answered questions, Sewell approached and began shouting inflammatory remarks, calling Allan a “coward” and dismissing Victoria Police as her “goons.” Security intervened swiftly, escorting the Premier and her team away from the scene.
Allan’s Defiant Response
Later, Allan released a statement describing the incident as unsurprising, asserting:
“It comes as no surprise that Nazis oppose me and my government. I wear that as a badge of honour.”
She emphasised that hate has no place in the state and reaffirmed her commitment to minority communities, particularly those often targeted by neo-Nazi ideology.
“But this isn’t about me. It’s about all the other people in the community who Nazis target – like multicultural people, LGBTIQA+ people, First Peoples, and Jews.
“They’re the Victorians who are on my mind right now, and they’re the Victorians who our anti-hate laws will protect when they come into force later this month.
“There is no place for hate in our state. Whoever you are, whoever you love, whoever you pray to – I’ll always fight for your right to belong.”
“As Premier, I’ll always be out and about in public fighting for you, like I am all day today. I am not afraid.
“We know how these goons operate. They whip up fear to divide our society.
“They will fail. Because Victorians are fair, and our values are strong.”
National Reaction and Taskforce Announcement
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labelled the event “horrific” and expressed alarm at the growing visibility of extremist groups in public spaces. In response, Allan announced the formation of an anti-hate task force in collaboration with Victoria Police to address not just this incident, but the broader pattern of hate-based mobilisations.
She stressed that societal fractures—exploited by extremists—must be addressed holistically, through stronger social cohesion and economic inclusion.
This confrontation follows a series of worrying neo-Nazi incidents in Melbourne and beyond. Recent events include a violent neo-Nazi march through the CBD, attacks on Indigenous protest camps like Camp Sovereignty, and inflammatory hate displays—all linked to NSN leaders and activists.
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