Police have been required to break up a group of white supremacists demonstrating in a small town on the New South Wales-Victoria border.
About 50 people were demonstrating in Corowa, on the Murray River, on Saturday afternoon before police split them up.
A group of balaclava-wearing men were spotted huddled under a sign that read “white man fight back”.
A video posted online showed the group’s leader suggesting white people were being “pushed out” of their towns.
Police said no arrests were made but inquiries into the rally were continuing.
“About 12.15pm [on Saturday] emergency services were called to Sanger Street, Corowa, following reports of an unauthorised assembly,” a statement read.
“Officers attached to Murray River Police District attended and dispersed the crowd of about 50 people.”
The deputy opposition leader, Sussan Ley, who is the local federal MP, condemned the rally but said she was heartened that residents had made it clear racism had no place in Corowa.
“I am saddened this hate was forced upon members of my community, including many families who were simply enjoying their weekend, the day before the Corowa show,” Ley said.
“It is clear this is part of a strategy to shock and provoke using regional towns … in recent months, similar activities have been rightly shut down in our cities.”
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State and federal governments have banned Nazi symbols and gestures after concerns about a rise in antisemitism.
The neo-Nazi Jacob Hersant, 25, on Tuesday became the first Victorian found guilty of intentionally performing the Nazi salute in public.
The magistrate Brett Sonnet has indicated Hersant will be sentenced to jail on 8 November.
