An Australian white nationalist group staged an antisemitic rally outside the New South Wales Parliament in Sydney on Saturday.
The demonstrators condemned Jewish civic participation and protested New South Wales’ new hate crime legislation.
Dozens of men dressed in black stood in formation outside the parliament building. They held a banner that read “Abolish the Jewish Lobby.” The group, calling itself White Australia, later posted footage of the rally on Telegram.
A speaker declared, “We are here today because the Jewish lobby is destroying our nation. The Jewish lobby is one of the most powerful lobbies in Australia. They bribe our politicians, they coerce our politicians, they send them on all expenses paid trips to Israel to educate them, to indoctrinate them, so that they can come back and do their wishes. They own our politicians.”
This rhetoric repeats long-standing myths about Jewish control and corruption. Such claims match the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, which identifies accusations of Jewish manipulation of governments and media as antisemitic speech.
Conspiracy Theories and Attacks on Hate-Crime Laws
Speakers representing the NSW branch claimed Jewish groups fabricated or exaggerated antisemitic crimes. While a number of recent antisemitic incidents were attributed to Iranian operatives, they alleged that criminal gangs had been paid by Jews to commit arson and vandalism. They also claimed that “Jewish-controlled media” inflated those acts to pressure lawmakers.
One speaker denounced the legislation, saying, “These laws should never have existed in the first place. They stifle freedom of speech. These laws should be repealed immediately, and the Jewish lobbies, who lobbied based on falsehood and lies, should be abolished.”
The February 2025 laws strengthened penalties for promoting extremist ideology, displaying Nazi symbols, and threatening violence against protected groups. Under the IHRA definition, these conspiracies and collective accusations against Jews are not political opinions. They are recognized as clear expressions of antisemitism.
Jewish Leaders Condemn Police Decision
The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies condemned police for allowing the rally. It called the decision “inexcusable.”
“The chilling images and despicable words of antisemitism which were uttered at the event should never find a home or be accepted in our society, especially outside the heart of our democracy,” the Board said.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin warned that antisemitic conspiracy theories were now “more prevalent than at any time in the past 80 years.” He said extremists exploited fear and division “for their evil purposes.” Restoring “decency, civility, and basic rationalism,” he added, was vital to rejecting “movements founded in pathetic ideas of overthrowing democracy and racial hierarchies.”
Conspiracy theories about Jewish control of politics are more prevalent now than at any time in the past 80 years. They are common to all extremist ideologies from far left to far right. Neo-Nazis are adept at identifying the grievances and prejudices that are taking hold in a… pic.twitter.com/laG30Y8muc
— Alex Ryvchin (@AlexRyvchin) November 8, 2025
Australian Jewish Association (AJA) CEO Robert Gregory also condemned the rally, saying: “Hatred is rapidly spreading across Australia. The despicable scenes outside NSW Parliament, staged by a few dozen neo-Nazi extremists, repulse all decent Australians though we are unfortunately not surprised.”
“When thousands of Jew-haters on the left are allowed to gather on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and at the Sydney Opera House, it emboldens antisemites on the right as well,” he noted. “These are angry men who struggle in their own lives so they dress up on weekends, and take out their anger on minorities.”
Neo-Nazis rally against Jews outside New South Wales Parliament
AJA was contacted over Shabbat by several journalists requesting comment. Out of respect for Torah values, we do not issue statements on Shabbat so here is our comment from CEO Robert Gregory:
"Hatred is rapidly… pic.twitter.com/Oyj2fjhckm
— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) November 8, 2025
Political and Public Backlash
Opposition Leader Mark Speakman called the rally a “disgusting scene.” He demanded answers from the premier, police minister, and commissioner.
Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said officers balanced free speech against community safety. He confirmed the decision would be reviewed.
The rally took place amid growing antisemitic activity nationwide. Police have investigated arson and vandalism targeting Jewish sites. The Australian Security Intelligence Organization has linked at least two such attacks to Iranian operatives.
The NSW hate crimed legislation criminalizes the display of Nazi or terrorist symbols, advocacy of violence, and threats to minority property. It also sets a minimum six-year prison sentence for terrorism-related crimes, including recruiting and training.
Following the rally, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies urged police to assess whether the event itself broke the laws it protested.
A Test of Democratic Resolve
By staging a rally on the steps of parliament, White Australia tried to normalize antisemitism under the banner of free speech. Their chants and conspiracy theories meet the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism.
The definition leaves no ambiguity: accusing Jews of controlling governments or media is not political expression — it is hate.
Australia now faces a test of democratic will. Confronting antisemitism requires moral clarity, strong law enforcement, and an unflinching acknowledgment of what this rally represented: open hatred of Jews.
