Antipodean Resistance

Antipodean Resistance

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Abbreviation	AR
Named after	'Antipodes' meaning related to Australia and New Zealand
Successor	National Socialist Network
Formation	12 October 2016[1]; (8 years ago)
Founded at	Melbourne
Type	Neo-Nazi hate group
Legal status	Active. In violation of The Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tasmania).[2] Associated with proscribed American and British terrorist groups and organisations[3] Monitored by state and federal law enforcement including ASIO[4]
Purpose	Neo-Nazism[1] White supremacy Antisemitism Homophobia Fascism Australian nationalism Anti-multiculturalism Anti-Chinese sentiment Anti-immigration
Headquarters	Melbourne[1]
Location	Melbourne[1] Sydney
Origins	Melbourne
Region	Primarily in Victoria and New South Wales
Official language	English
Parent organization	Iron March
Affiliations	National Action (UK) Nordic Resistance Movement Atomwaffen Division

Antipodean Resistance (AR) is an Australian neo-Nazi hate group.^[5] The group, formed in October 2016, uses the slogan "We're the Hitlers you've been waiting for" and makes use of Nazi symbols such as the swastika and the Nazi salute. AR's logo features the Black Sun and Totenkopf (death's head) with an Akubra hat, a laurel wreath and a swastika.^[1]

Antipodean Resistance promotes and incites hatred and violence, distributing racist, homophobic and antisemitic posters and propaganda. In 2018, its website was shut down by its hosting provider. ASIO, Australia's national security agency, has been monitoring the group since at least 2017.

History

Antipodean Resistance was formed on the now-defunct Iron March website, which was a far-right website describing itself as a fascist social network, and which appears to have been home to many white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists.^[6] Members of the website formed groups such as Atomwaffen Division and Antipodean Resistance.^[7]

Racist vandalism

AR has attracted attention for its Nazi-inspired vandalism in major cities in Australia. It has targeted schools in Melbourne with significant ethnic minority populations, placing posters carrying messages such as "Keep Australia White" and "Australia For The White Man" along with several other racial slurs targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Chinese Australians and African Australians which were described as "vile and disgusting" by the Victorian education minister James Merlino.^[8] The group also placed a series of Chinese-language posters at numerous university campuses threatening Chinese students with deportation.^[9]

Homophobic propaganda

In the lead-up to the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, AR targeted churches, universities and public places with homophobic propaganda linking same-sex marriage and paedophilia.^[10][11]

National Party of Australia ban

In 2018, the NSW Nationals unanimously adopted a resolution banning 22 people for life after an investigation into alleged infiltration by people with links to neo-Nazi and fascist groups. The resolution also banned any party member from joining a number of specific organisations, including Antipodean Resistance.

National Socialist Network

In 2020, the Antipodean Resistance and another far-right group, the Lads Society, allegedly formed the National Socialist Network.^[12][13]

Membership

The membership of AR is reported to be very small. The group is only open to who are "able to take a hit" for their beliefs. Members assume a pseudonym in an attempt to remain anonymous. Media outlets have reported that AR have organised secret radicalisation camps in remote forests.^[14] AR has been banned from a number of social media and online hosting platforms.^[1]

Terrorism concerns

Several counter-terrorism experts have suggested authorities should focus more on far-right extremists such as Antipodean Resistance. Anne Aly, the Labor MP, in 2017 suggested that the group may turn to terrorism, stating "For a terrorist attack to succeed, it really only takes one person." She called for the group to be banned, stating "I would like to see some of these groups proscribed ... as terrorist and violent organisations."^[10]

It was reported in 2017 that ASIO, the Australian national security organisation, was monitoring the group, who were "willing to use violence to further their own interests."^[15]

See also

• National Socialist Network

References

1. Nathan, Julie (20 April 2018). "Antipodean Resistance: The Rise and Goals of Australia's New Nazis". ABC Religion & Ethics. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. This is reflected in the logo most commonly used, that of the Totenkopf mask and Akubra-style hat perched above a swastika, with the background being the Black Sun (Schwarze Sonne in German) symbol, also known as the Sun Wheel (sonnenrad in German), surrounded by a wreath.
2. "Anti-Discrimination Commissioner seeks information on display of Neo-Nazi posters" (PDF). Equal Opportunity Tasmania. Equal Opportunity Tasmania.
3. Tran, Danny. "Antipodean Resistance Neo-Nazi group trying to sway Australia's same-sex marriage postal vote". ABC NEWS. ABC. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
4. Mcdonald, Joshua. "Australia: Far-Right on the Rise as Intelligence Chief Warns of Terror Threat". The Diplomat. Trans-Asia Inc. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
5. Martinich, Rex (6 October 2017). "Neo-Nazi Grampians camp used for recruitment". The Stawell Times-News. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
6. "Nazi Group's Poster Campaign in Melbourne". Online Hate Prevention Institute. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
7. Poulter, James (13 March 2018). "The Obscure Neo-Nazi Forum Linked to a Wave of Terror". Vice. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
8. Davey, Melissa (16 August 2017). "White supremacist posters targeting students placed at Melbourne high schools". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
9. Kwai, Isabella; Xu, Xiuzhong (25 July 2017). "Anti-Chinese Posters at Melbourne Universities Are Tied to White Supremacists". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
10. Tran, Danny (5 September 2017). "Antipodean Resistance Neo-Nazi group trying to sway Australia's same-sex marriage postal vote". ABC News. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
11. Urban, Rebecca (29 August 2017). "White supremacists take credit for homophobic posters in Melbourne". The Australian. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
12. McKenzie, Nick; Tozer, Joel (27 January 2021). "Neo-Nazis go bush: Grampians gathering highlights rise of Australia's far right". The Sydney Morning Herald. According to extremist experts, two right-wing groups, the Lads Society and Antipodean Resistance, recently helped form a new Australian extremist outfit, the National Socialist Network, which in turn helped organise the 38 young white men to assemble in the Grampians over the Australia Day weekend.
13. Paynter, Jack (13 October 2020). "Alarm as neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network expands to Adelaide". News.com.au.
14. Lang, Rachel (5 September 2017). "Neo-Nazi radicalisation camp held on Sunshine Coast". Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
15. Houghton, Jack (7 September 2017). "ASIO tracking Neo-Nazi group 'willing to use violence'". The Northern Star. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2017.