Police halt second neo-Nazi gathering in Sydney at Turramurra Scout Hall

NSW Police stopped another neo-Nazi rally in Sydney on Saturday, just hours after Premier Chris Minns vowed to crack down on right-wing extremists.

A day after police stopped a group of men wearing black clothing and balaclavas associated with the National Socialist Network on a train at North Sydney Station, police broke up another meeting of the far-right group in North Turramurra on Saturday evening.

The group’s leader, Thomas Sewell, was granted an extension of the public safety order, banning him from several parts of Sydney until midnight on Sunday.

“Police have issued a public safety order extension to a 31-year-old man, banning him from entering a number of local government areas in Sydney until midnight (on Sunday),” NSW Police said in a statement.

“The order extension was served in North Turramurra (on Saturday) evening.”

Police descended on North Turamurra on Saturday evening, where dozens of members of the neo-Nazi group gathered.

It came a day after police stormed North Sydney train station on Australia Day following reports that a group of about 60 men wearing balaclavas and all-black outfits boarded a train into the city.

The men are affiliated with the National Socialist Network, which is led by convicted criminal Thomas Sewell.

The 30-year-old leader and his followers boarded a train at Artarmon station, further up Sydney’s northern line, on Friday afternoon.

The group of men wore sunglasses, balaclavas and masks as they chanted and waved Australian flags.

All passengers were evacuated and no one was reported injured.

Police arrested six members of the group on Friday morning and issued 61 infringement notices for offensive behaviour. Two members have now been released without charge.

NSW Premier Chris Minns strongly denounced the act and said he would be open to strengthening laws against ‘White Power salutes’.

He said officers were able to delay trains between Artarmon – where the group boarded – and North Sydney so officers from the Public Order and Riot Squad and North Sydney Command could intercept the group.

More than twenty officers boarded the train and dozens of others stood on the platform.

Upon the train’s arrival at North Sydney station, the public was asked to leave the train while police removed the men.

“This threat was stopped before a very ugly confrontation on the streets of Sydney. There is no place for this kind of fascism, neo-Nazism or far-right extremism on this great day, Australia Day,” Minns told reporters.

“The vast, vast majority of people living in (this) state would completely reject any notion or idea that this group of far-right extremists and neo-Nazis is needed on our national holiday.”

Prior to the incident, the group had been issued a public safety order by NSW Police to stay away from Australia Day events.

Mr Minns said this behavior was not welcome in NSW, and that anyone who “attempted to reconvene and do this again” would be met with “overwhelming force from NSW Police”.

“No normal person wears a balaclava, let alone on Australia Day on public transport,” he said.

“If it wasn’t so threatening, it would be completely ridiculous.”

It follows the NSW Government’s recent announcement that it will investigate section 93Z of the Crimes Act, which establishes laws against publicly threatening or inciting violence against anyone on the grounds of race, religious belief or belief.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday joined in condemning the group’s behavior.

He said he was ‘shocked’ by the images.

“I don’t want to see people in balaclavas, dressed from head to toe in black, engaging in neo-Nazi activities in this country,” he said.

‘It has no place and it has been rightly condemned by all decent people.’