White supremacist group resurfaces in inner Sydney
Image: Ward will take on long-standing independent Alex Greenwich (pictured) for the seat of Sydney in the 2023 state election.
A white supremacist group has begun a new racist campaign around Sydney’s inner city suburbs this week.
The group, called Squadron 88, made themselves known to inner city residents in late August when they began distributing anti-Semitic flyers around the eastern suburbs.
A series of media reports on the campaign seemed to lead the group to halt its activities, however this week the group has resurfaced, according to residents of inner city suburbs such as St Peters and Tempe.
The new campaign suggests the group is expanding its activity, consisting of large posters put up around these suburbs as well as racist literature delivered to people’s mailboxes.
Anti-facist group Antifa said they believe Squadron 88 to be closely connected to far-right party Australia First.
Two flyers have been received by local residents. The first flyer features lengthy paragraphs outlining racist perceptions of the Jewish population and claims “diversity really means white genocide”.
The campaign also features a new anti-non white immigrant flyer.
“Why are we allowing non white migrants who do not like our culture and European way of life to live here?” the flyer reads.
Both flyers also connect the group to Stormfront, a large neo-Nazi organisation in the United States with a recently created Australian branch.
The Online Hate Prevention Institute (OHPI) expressed concern that the recent flyers may indicate the group is prepared to include violence in their xenophobic campaigns.
“The military based name of the group, and the reference to 88 which is white supremacist shorthand of Heil Hitler (H being the 8th letter of the alphabet), suggest that what might need to be done may involve violence.”
The group is believed by OHPI to be headed by a Stormfront member who calls him or herself ‘Truewhitewarrior’. The user created a Facebook page which attracted over 200 members before being shut down by Facebook authorities.
The group reappeared on Facebook this week, but again the page was removed.
Inner city residents have expressed deep concern about this activity.
“I’ll be emailing squadron88sydney@gmail.com to let them know they are the ones who are not welcome in our area,” said one local resident.
Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich also expressed concern about the increasingly racist activities of the group, and also articulated similar sentiments regarding the lack of tolerance for this behaviour in the inner city.
“The Sydney electorate is one of the most tolerant and diverse parts of Australia,” he said.
“This has been shown in recent days with the outrage expressed about moves to ban the burqa from public places.”
Mr Greenwich also said elected officials were allowing this kind of xenophobic activity to flourish in Sydney.
“Sadly the conduct of some state and federal leaders have fanned the flames of persecution rather than promoting multiculturalism.”
Mr Greenwich said he has been contacted by multiple constituents who are concerned about this increase in racial persecution.
Following this, Mr Greenwich has requested that NSW Parliament investigate ways that this persecution can be prevented in NSW.
