Indigenous groups and politicians have condemned a brazen assault on Camp Sovereignty, a First Nations protest camp in Melbourne’s Kings Domain, which was violently attacked shortly after the “March for Australia” rally.
Camp Sovereignty, established as part of the Black GST movement at the Kings Domain Resting Place, a sacred burial ground for 38 Aboriginal clans, has stood as a symbol of Indigenous sovereignty and cultural resilience.
Videos on social media show a group of about 50 men dressed in black, believed to be affiliated with the National Socialist Network, storming the camp at sunset. They carried pipes, branches and poles, shouted abuse, stomped on an Aboriginal flag and a sacred fire, and physically assaulted women present at the site. Organisers described the incident as a neo-Nazi attack.
The Black Peoples Union and Camp Sovereignty activists said four young women of colour were injured. A woman in her 30s was hospitalised with upper body injuries. Police confirmed they attended the scene to disperse the attackers, and investigations are ongoing.
The attack on Camp Sovereignty was broadly condemned. Senator Lidia Thorpe called it “racially motivated” and an act of hate, demanding a thorough investigation.
“Yesterday’s violent attack on Camp Sovereignty must be investigated as a neo-Nazi hate crime against Aboriginal people in this country. There needs to be a full investigation by the Australian Federal Police, and strong action must be taken against these thugs,” she said.
This was not the only flashpoint of the day. Melbourne saw violent clashes between anti-immigration marchers and counter-protesters, with police deploying crowd control measures including rubber bullets and stun grenades. Several arrests were made and police said more may follow as footage is reviewed.
Camp Sovereignty remains an essential space for advocacy. Reignited in January 2024 by elder Uncle Robbie Thorpe, the camp’s objectives include ending genocide, acknowledging sovereignty, and pushing for treaty, the core tenets of the Black GST movement.
The attack, coming directly after anti-immigration rallies promoted by far-right elements, highlighted the dangerous escalation of extremist tactics into the heart of cultural and sacred spaces.
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