On Saturday 4 December, just on sundown, the family home of well-known anti-racist activist, Indigenous rights supporter and socialist, Paddy Gibson, was attacked by Nazis. Thankfully, his children were not at home at the time of the attack
Three white men with cropped hair and Eureka flag shirts came to the front door of the house. They banged on the door and shouted: “We need to talk to Paddy. Are you Paddy?” After looking through the peep hole, it became obvious that the Nazis were threatening to break in and harm the occupants.
The three Nazis then began to smash on the front door; they ripped the security grille off a window frame and smashed the glass window with a chair.
Police were called but took 30 minutes to respond.
Neighbours were immediately on the scene, calling out to ensure everyone in the house was safe, and giving the all clear when the Nazis had left the premises.
Paddy said: “The police are aware that I have received death threats before in the lead up to major Black Lives Matter rallies due to a prominent organising role, but this is a significant escalation from the far right.
“I can only assume that some sections of the far right are feeling emboldened by the situation here and overseas to go on the attack like this. But we won’t be intimidated and are even more determined to organise against racism.
“The support from friends, family, colleagues, union workmates and comrades has been awesome. People in the local community are outraged that Nazis could be so brazen in such a strongly multicultural area.
“There is no place for Nazis in this community and there will be an even greater organised response to any attempt by the far right to threaten or intimidate anyone.”
Demonisation
Adjunct Professor George Newhouse, the CEO of the National Justice Project, called on authorities to take prompt steps to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Governments around Australian have failed to take the threat of violent racist and militant groups seriously and this is the end result.
“In the US we have seen lives lost because of the demonisation of the Black Lives Matter movement by the right. It’s time for our leaders to heed the calls for racial justice and protect those who are calling for change.”
Greens MP David Shoebridge said: “This is a line in the sand that should never be crossed in politics with extremist right wing thugs threatening the home of a prominent anti-racist activist.
“When politicians from the Prime Minister down provide cover for the far right then this creates a political space for violence.
“We need to see a rapid and thorough police investigation to send a clear message to right wing extremists that political violence will never be tolerated,” Mr Shoebridge said.
Lizzie Jarrett a Gambaynnggirr, Dunghutti and Bundajlung campaigner who has organised many Black Lives Matter rallies, said: “Paddy has been there on the front line fighting alongside many of our families that suffer police violence, child removal and racism in many other forms.
“He also fights for people of all backgrounds who are suffering injustice. All of us doing this organising get horrible threats from far-right groups and it needs to stop.
“Our community stands with Paddy and his family, we will not be intimidated by these Nazis and we will continue to fight side by side against the putrid racism and violence we are subjected to on our lands.”
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