The avowed Nazi who signed protest application letter to police commissioner

3 months ago 17

A four-page letter addressed to Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon outlining plans for an anti-Jewish rally outside parliament was signed by an avowed racist and neo-Nazi, according to a copy of the Form 1 application seen by the Herald.

The history of public antisemitism and racism by 28-year-old Jack Eltis – the NSW leader of the National Socialist Network who last month called to deport “every last non-white” from Australia – raises questions as to why the protest plans were never flagged with senior police or politicians.

The National Socialist Network rally outside NSW Parliament House on Saturday.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess last week warned of an increasing likelihood that the NSN’s propaganda would “prompt spontaneous violence”. Two months ago, NSW Police assured the public that the NSN was being “constantly monitored” by officers from the engagement and hate crime unit, the state intelligence group and the counter-terrorism command.

Eltis signed his Form 1 letter on behalf of White Australia, a brand increasingly used by the NSN as it plans to register as a political party.

Outlining the proposed slogan “Abolish the Jewish Lobby”, Eltis said the event would focus on free speech issues, including new laws around protests and incitement of racial hatred. He cited High Court cases and legislation, promising the rally would not violate anti-discrimination laws, as it would not target “Jewish people as an ethnic or religious community”.

“We look forward to a safe and impactful event,” he wrote.

But the polite, deferential tone adopted in the letter was a far cry from Eltis’ public record of hateful rhetoric and the tenor of the rally itself, which criticised “Jews’ seat at the head of the table”, promoted a highly offensive conspiracy theory and contained Hitler Youth chants.

Lanyon was not made aware of the protest until after the Herald sent questions to NSW Police about the demonstration. He told a press conference that afternoon that, as a result of the “communication error”, he had not briefed Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley.

The rally had not been opposed by the Sydney City local area command, which had sought legal advice on the proposed “Abolish the Jewish lobby” banner, and Minns has suggested the government may seek to pass new laws.

Eltis’ unabashed racism was on display in the Sydney March for Australia rally in August, which this masthead revealed was infiltrated and organised by NSN members.

Sydney members took to the stage for an “open mic” section of the protest held at Victoria Park in Camperdown, where they led chants of “heil Australia” and “blood and honour”.

“This land was built by white Australians,” Eltis told the crowd.

“You don’t have to join our organisation, but we must come back more organised, more disciplined. We have the solutions. We want to send them back. No debate. No discussion. We want to send them back to their land. This is our land. And most importantly, our organisation has the strength to do this.”

After his speech, Eltis told a reporter, “All the men in our organisation are proud to be racist.” Asked if he and other NSN and White Australia members were neo-Nazis, Eltis said, “Yes, we are national socialists.”

Jack Eltis being interviewed by a reporter after the March for Australia rally.

After March for Australia, Minns said police would examine the speeches for possible violations of new laws against the public incitement of racial hatred, which came into effect mid-August.

Police are now reviewing Saturday’s rally for possible violations of the same laws.

In September, Eltis used a public social media account to blame social problems on “Jewish power and Jewish brainwashing of our people”. In more recent messages, he attributed the NSN’s successes to “a culture of fanaticisim” and stressed an absolute commitment to deporting “every last non-white” from Australia.

Eltis’ Form 1 submission ahead of the rally outside parliament said both he and another NSN leader, Joel Davis, would be speaking.

Davis had managed to enter Parliament House earlier this year for an event organised by Western Heritage Australia, asking questions about the benefits of “racism” from a lectern within the historic Jubilee Room library. A spokesperson for the organisers said they did not screen attendees.

The NSN is monitored by federal agencies such as the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation.

“At its core, the National Socialist Network is anti-immigrant, anti-Indigenous, anti-gay, anti-Jew, anti-Islam and anti-anything that does not fit its white Anglo-centric world view,” ASIO boss Mike Burgess said last week.

“Even if the organisation does not engage in terrorism, I remain deeply concerned by its hateful, divisive rhetoric and increasingly violent propaganda, and the growing likelihood these things will prompt spontaneous violence, particularly in response to perceived provocation.”

A senior leader within the NSN, Tom Sewell, was refused bail by a Melbourne magistrate after allegedly ordering NSN members to storm a sacred Aboriginal site. “There is a real and likely risk of serious injury or death,” a police officer told the court.

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