30 January 2024
By Hannah Wilcox
Residents and politicians have applauded police for their response to a group of neo-Nazis who were spotted boarding a train at Artarmon Station.
The group of 61 individuals, dressed in all black and wearing face concealments, boarded the T1 North Shore line into the city around 11.30am on January 26.
Just four stations later, they were cordoned off by officers who had arrived at North Sydney station moments earlier and stopped the train.
Locals were impressed with the quick and well-organised reaction by police.
“Melbourne neo-Nazis are gathering on the north shore of Sydney,” UNSW Professor of Global Biosecurity Raina MacIntyre shared to X (formerly Twitter).
“Artarmon on Australia Day… my neighbourhood. Thank you @nswpolice – so grateful to be in Sydney.”
Other passengers were diverted onto other services whilst the group was approached by police.
Members of the group were spoken to separately one-on-one by police to have their details collected and to be issued a move-on order.
A number of items, including shields and a flag, were seized.
Six people were arrested and taken to Chatswood Police Station with a further 55 men issued Rail Infringement Notices for offensive behaviour.
Two men have since been released and issued infringement notices for offensive behaviour.
It is believed they were intending to counter the Australia Day protests in the CBD.
North Sydney federal MP Kylea Tink said: “The displays of hate, intolerance and racism by neo-Nazi groups over the weekend have no place in North Sydney nor anywhere else. Our diversity is our strength, and my community is united in its condemnation of these disgusting, and quite frankly pathetic, acts. Everyone in my community and across the country has the right to feel safe, and I thank NSW police for their quick response.”