By Susan Price and Sean Lennon
MELBOURNE — A 700-strong demonstration against National Action on March 15 signalled a strong beginning to the campaign against the neo-Nazi presence in the northern suburb of Fawkner.
The rally and march attracted a broad range of participants, including Fawkner residents and representatives of many community and ethnic groups, including the Jewish Students Association, the Turkish Community Resource Centre, Gays and Lesbians Against Racism, the Jewish Lesbian Group, the Trade Union Choir, students, trade unionists and left organisations. Fifty workers from the local Ford site walked off the job and joined the protest.
The rally was addressed by local ALP parliamentarians Carlo Carli and Kelvin Thompson; Moreland City councillor Andrew Rowe; Leyal, a member of Resistance and representative of the Turkish Community Resource Centre; Simon from the Trade Union Support Group; and other community members.
The march then set off towards the National Action bookshop where a number of local residents had already assembled in support of the demonstration. The neo-Nazis were stationed on the roof of the shop, some of them dressed as clowns.
They hurled eggs and manure at the crowd below, but once the main body of the demonstration reached the shop, they were forced to retreat inside. Military music blared from the premises in an attempt to drown out the protesters' chants.
As expected, there was a large police presence. Police had erected barricades in front of the shop and stationed themselves in a cordon between the barricade and the bookshop. When protesters continued chanting anti-Nazi slogans outside the bookshop, police charged through with horses in an attempt to station mounted police in front of the barricade. This injured several protesters, and three people were arrested, one of whom was later released.
At the latest meeting of the Campaign Against the Nazis, the next phase of the campaign and the need to continue building support among Fawkner residents were discussed in depth. The next stage will include a public meeting in Fawkner on April 12, and a second rally on April 19.
Two members of CAN, meanwhile, were attacked by neo-Nazi thugs on March 19 while letterboxing in Fawkner for that night's meeting.
While walking past the National Action bookshop, one of the activists was approached by a NA member, who demanded he drop the leaflets. When the CAN member refused, his keys, which he had dropped, were thrown at him by the fascist.
Shortly afterwards, the CAN activists were confronted outside a nearby school by a carload of fascists, who threatened one activist with an iron bar and assaulted another.
There were witnesses to the attack outside the school, but police refused to take action.