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A Sydney Trains employee has been stood down while the agency investigates his involvement in an anti-Jewish protest outside NSW Parliament organised by a group of neo-Nazis.
Cooper Stephens was among the 60-odd black-clad members of the National Socialist Network who rallied alongside a banner reading “Abolish the Jewish lobby” and shouted Hitler Youth slogans last Saturday.
Sydney Trains have stood down Cooper Stephens (front centre) after he participated in Saturday’s rally outside NSW Parliament House.
The Herald understands Stephens, based in south-west Sydney, works as a train guard for the state government agency. In a statement, a spokesman for Sydney Trains said it was “very concerned with the matter”.
“In the interim, Sydney Trains has directed the employee not to attend work while the matter is examined,” the spokesman said.
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“The employee’s role is frontline and his actions are not supported by Sydney Trains or Transport for NSW and are not in line with public sector values.”
Stephens could not be reached for comment.
Social media accounts linked to Stephens show him as a member of a Sydney Trains group.
He also joined a Jewish community group on social media about six months ago.
On Thursday, the Herald revealed a senior member of the neo-Nazi group is a South African national who works for a major engineering firm that has held contracts with Defence and the NSW government.
Matthew Gruter, who moved to Sydney with his wellness influencer wife about three years ago, is understood to be living in Australia on a visa.
Matthew Gruter, who attended Saturday’s neo-Nazi rally, works for a major engineering firm that has held contracts with the Australian Defence Department and NSW government.Credit: Instagram
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday declined to comment specifically on Gruter, but said “people who come to Australia and then say that they are anti-migrants coming to Australia, I think that speaks for itself”.
The NSW branch of the National Socialist Network has been attempting to ramp up recruitment in a bid to form a political party under the banner White Australia. It has been flooding social media with propaganda videos, including footage from the rally, which lasted for about 10 minutes and appeared to be designed for social media.
Albanese said he was concerned about the rally, and the group’s attempt to form a political wing.
“There’s no place in Australia for the antisemitic display that we saw outside NSW Parliament House,” he said.
The rally on Saturday was notable because members appeared unmasked, demonstrating a growing boldness by parts of organisation.
However, most wore dark sunglasses and hats, indicating they hoped not to be identified.
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