Reporting by The Age has exposed a disturbing layer of online extremism in Australia, where far-right figures discussed violence ranging from the “machine-gunning of immigrants” to the abduction of the prime minister in the days following the Bondi terror attack.
According to The Age, secret online chats and livestreams linked to organisers of the March for Australia rallies became a forum for increasingly explicit threats. These included calls for “bloodletting”, “lynchings” and the “machine-gunning of immigrants” as part of rhetoric around January 26 demonstrations framed as an effort to “take Australia back”.
The reporting details how, in one Discord server associated with March for Australia organisers and populated by neo-Nazis and far-right activists, discussions escalated rapidly after the Bondi attack. In other official channels and livestreams, influencers urged violence against immigrants and minorities, while moderators struggled to contain material that risked attracting police attention or platform bans.
One of the most serious allegations uncovered by The Age involves a recorded discussion about abducting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. In the recording, a user known as “cav” dismissed political processes and openly advocated force. “I genuinely believe the best option is to is literally to f—ing grab him [Albanese] and put him in a room and force him to answer like every possible f—ing question,” cav said.
When challenged by another user, cav doubled down. “I would, yeah,” he replied. “And if anyone wants to … like rent the van and help f—ing come grab him with me. Like, yeah, let’s go.”
Another participant offered $10,000 to help carry out the plot, while others suggested a staged debate before an abduction. Cav went further, declaring, “I’ve crossed into the f—ing realm of terrorism, bro.… The only way I would take power is through force.”
Police later carried out a raid on a neo-Nazi associate over a separate alleged threat to abduct the prime minister. Investigators have not confirmed whether the two matters are connected. Devices were seized and the individual was released on bail under strict conditions, including a ban on using Discord.
The Age reporting also highlights threats directed at Muslim communities. After the Bondi attack, users discussed marching on Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque “to settle things”. Moderators later wiped large portions of the chat history, citing concerns that the server would be shut down for inciting violence. This occurred as police investigated a separate threat sent to the same mosque, warning of co-ordinated violence against minorities at Australia Day rallies.
Experts quoted by The Age say such behaviour reflects a broader pattern of online radicalisation. Extremism researcher Matt Kriner, who analysed the Discord server, described the appearance of imagery linked to mass murderers as coded threats and a warning sign of growing neo-Nazi influence. He and other analysts warned that the aftermath of the Bondi attack had become a recruitment opportunity, with edited footage of the attack circulated alongside extremist messaging.
The reporting shows how these online spaces blurred into real-world organising. While March for Australia organisers have argued that the Discord server was not an official channel, The Age found it was used to co-ordinate rallies and moderated by individuals involved in planning marches. Some users openly expressed allegiance to the now-disbanded National Socialist Network, while others boasted about previous police raids or mocked counter-terrorism efforts.
The Age reporting also sits within a broader pattern of online rhetoric directed at migrant communities. Independent analysis of public posts by March for Australia organiser Hugo Lennon, who posts under the handle @aus_pill, shows repeated targeting of specific groups. Over the past six months, Lennon has used the term “Indian” more than 20 times and “Chinese” close to 10 times, with references overwhelmingly framed around mass immigration, demographic threat, and national security anxieties.
Another user on the same Discord server, known as “xertz”, claimed he could make high-powered bombs to send to mosques using materials bought online. “There is a planned shooting new years in aus as well,” he wrote in posts obtained by The Age. He was later banned by moderators, who nonetheless acknowledged the risk of speaking too openly. “We all know what we’re thinking but please do not vocalise your more extreme thoughts as we would like to not get banned,” one moderator said, adding that the Bondi attack was a “perfect opportunity to redpill [radicalise] those closest to you”.
March for Australia organiser Hugo Lennon told The Age he was unaware of the specific threats and condemned calls for violence. “My involvement in that server has been minimal and sporadic,” he said, arguing that such rhetoric did not reflect his views or those of the movement.
Another organiser, Bec Freedom, denied responsibility for violent language in online channels. “If threats of violence are made in our channels are made and I see them, they are removed immediately,” she said. “I am not responsible for things others say.” She also acknowledged she “often wasn’t paying attention” during livestreams where speakers called for immigrants to be machine-gunned and predicted bloodshed, despite later praising some speakers by name.
Police and security agencies now face the challenge of responding to a fragmented extremist scene that thrives online while disavowing responsibility offline. Authorities warn that individuals operating without clear organisational structures may be more volatile, particularly during periods of heightened tension.
The Age investigation shows how quickly online spaces can move from grievance to explicit threats, and how rhetoric about “taking Australia back” can slide into calls for mass violence. As Australia approaches another tense Australia Day period, the reporting highlights how extremist language, left unchecked, can spill from private chats into public risk.
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