CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual assault.
Three men have been arrested for allegedly sending threatening messages to federal MPs in the wake of the neo-Nazi rally that took place in Sydney earlier this month.
According to the ABC, one of those arrested was neo-Nazi and member of the National Socialist Network Joel Davis, who was charged by the Australian Federal Police for using a carriage service to encourage hate towards a federal MP.
The second man, a 29-year-old from Tamworth, was issued a court attendance notice on allegations he sent online threats to a high office holder, with a 32-year-old man also arrested in Victoria in relation to threats to an MP.
While not mentioning Davis by name, AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Matthew Gale said in a press conference this morning that a man shared a “menacing message” on an encrypted app which encouraged “abuse and hate to be directed towards his MP”.
“We allege the message was sent following the MP’s condemnation of a National Socialist Network protest in Sydney earlier this month,” Gale said.
In the wake of the rally — which took place outside NSW Parliament — independent federal MP Allegra Spender and state MP Kellie Sloane shared social media posts condemning the attendees and their message.
Both politicians referred the violent messages they subsequently received to NSW Police, who launched their investigation on November 10.
It’s now alleged that Davis, who spoke at the rally, was behind one of the messages sent to a Telegram group chat that encouraged users to “rhetorically rape” Spender.
Davis’ charge carries a maximum jail term of five years if proven. He is due to face the NSW Bail Division Local Court today.
Gale said he was “concerned” about the uptick in threats made to federal parliamentarians, describing it as a “significant issue” that has increased 63 per cent in the past four years.
“There are current and emerging individuals and groups who are eroding our country’s social fabric by advocating hatred, fear and humiliation, and the AFP once again is putting them on notice,” Gale said.
After referring the threats she received from her original post — in which she described the rally as “appalling” and “seeking to spread vile hatred” — Spender said the rally was attended by “extremists thugs”.
“This is an extremely tiny group of extremist thugs who represent no one. The best of Australia is welcoming and supportive of our vibrant multicultural country,” Spender said.
It comes amid the continued fallout from the rally, in which around 60 men dressed in all-black stood outside Parliament’s Macquarie Street gates while holding a banner targeting “the Jewish lobby” and chanting antisemitic slogans.
Last week, a Sydney Trains employee was stood down after being identified as one of the men who attended the rally, while another attendee from South Africa had his visa revoked.
On Wednesday, the NSW Government outlined plans to expand its ban on Nazi symbols to also include bans on Nazi chants and other conduct that indicates support for Nazi ideology.
Lead images: Getty Images and 9News/AFP
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