As reported by media like The Guardian, on August 31 a group of neo-Nazis and others stormed Camp Sovereignty, a First Nations protest site and historic Aboriginal burial ground in central Melbourne. Attackers reportedly desecrated an ancestral fire, tore down flags and physically assaulted women attending a peaceful ceremony.
The site stands as a symbol of the ongoing Indigenous resistance in Australia and the fight for recognition of Sovereignty and land rights.
The neo-Nazi attack on the sacred site can be considered a clear act of racism and a denial of freedom of religion. We encourage our members and others to support the call from Indigenous leaders for this to be investigated as a hate crime and to demand justice and protection for sacred sites.
You can do so by signing the petition from the global advocacy organization Avaaz to the Commissioner of Australia’s Federal Police and others: