Counter-terrorism officials have charged a Victorian man who encouraged anti-lockdown protesters to bring firearms to State Parliament and execute Premier Daniel Andrews, and are continuing to investigate other alleged extremists involved in the Melbourne pandemic bill protests.
The criminal charges are among several cases brought quietly by Victoria Police’s counter-terrorism command security investigation unit and come amid growing evidence that neo-Nazi extremists have infiltrated the Victorian anti-pandemic-law protest movement.
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The revelations will increase pressure on Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy after several Coalition MPs have given support to the protesters by attending rallies and posting approvingly on social media. They also raise questions for political figures Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly, with evidence suggesting an anti-lockdown group affiliated with the pair’s political party has also been infiltrated by neo-Nazis.
An investigation by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald into the role in the protest movement of far-right extremists, including those on security agency watch lists, shows some neo-Nazi figures are seeking not only to attend rallies, but to organise, recruit and radicalise other protesters, many of whom are ordinary Victorians concerned over civil liberties and vaccine mandates.
