The following article was ori­gin­ally published in the Star Journal.

Hitler youth target Dandenong

Cam Lucadou-Wells
Star Journal
August 10, 2018

 
A racist, neo-Nazi youth movement has targeted Dandenong with the plas­ter­ing of pro­pa­ganda stickers in public places.
On 28 July, Anti­podean Res­ist­ance posted photos on social media in late July of its stickers in Harmony Square and a Halal butcher’s sign in Lonsdale Street.
The same account shows posts of stickers being plastered at uni­ver­sit­ies, train stations and other public places across Melbourne and Australia.
Recent posts have illus­trated sticker activ­it­ies at Swinburne Uni­ver­sity, Monash Uni­ver­sity, Ferntree Gully, Boronia and Brighton.
Greater Dandenong Council stated it had not been aware of the sticker campaign in its midsts.

Its city planning, design and amenity director Jody Bosman said putting up the stickers without per­mis­sion was an offence under the Envir­on­ment Pro­tec­tion Act.
“If Council does become aware of any such material appearing in this muni­cip­al­ity, we will invest­ig­ate and take the appro­pri­ate action.”
A Victoria Police spokes­per­son said social media had increased the public profile and online presence of “these groups”.
“We respect the right of the community to express their views peace­fully and lawfully, however, urging violence and hatred is not a form of free speech that the community or Victoria Police will tolerate.”
The police were mon­it­or­ing intel­li­gence relevant to “any group that may pose a threat or risk to the community”.
The Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry strongly condemned Anti­podean Res­ist­ance and its “repugnant” ideas.
Co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said the Anti­podean Res­ist­ance supported the overthrow of demo­crat­ic insti­tu­tions and the murder of Jews and gay people.
Neo-Nazism should be combated by education, so people could com­pre­hend the “unique barbarism” of the Nazis and their crimes, he said.
“It is not clear whether this group is content to advocate violence and plaster posters or will adopt violence them­selves.
“Given how extreme their ideology is and the violence per­pet­rated by similar groups in the United States and Europe, they should certainly be of concern to the public.”
Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry research officer Julie Nathan said the group called for an end to “non-white immig­ra­tion” and blamed societal ills on “the Jews”.
Its members had con­nec­tions to far-right extremist groups in Australia and overseas, such as the United Patriots Front leaders via the Lads Society.
“Anti­podean Res­ist­ance openly aims to lay the ground­work for a forcible Nazi take-over of Australia at a later time.
“They have no illusions that they could ever win a demo­crat­ic election.“At present, the group is making its existence known through its pro­pa­ganda activ­it­ies, is recruit­ing members across the country, and is engaged in activ­it­ies to promote Nazi ideology.”
The small, secretive group had spread through Aus­trali­an capital cities since forming in Melbourne in October 2016, Ms Nathan said.
It targeted white males in their teens and twenties by putting up posters at high schools and uni­ver­sit­ies, they said.
In photos and videos on their website and posts, members hid their iden­tit­ies in photos and videos with super­im­posed “death-head” masks.
“Its members try to remain anonymous, although a small number of them have been publicly exposed.”
Anti­podean Res­ist­ance was emailed for comment.

Images: An Anti­podean Res­ist­ance sticker on a Halal butcher, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong (Source: Star Journal); and An Anti­podean Res­ist­ance sticker in Harmony Square, Dandenong (Source: Star Journal).