Australian Defence League

The Australian Defence League (ADL) is a militant far-right, white nationalist street gang. The group is anti-Islam, and has been involved in making terrorist threats, abusing, stalking and doxxing Muslim Australians. The gang was founded in Sydney in 2009 as an offshoot of the English Defence League.[1]

Australian Defence League
AbbreviationADL
SuccessorPatriots Defence League Australia
Formation2009
FounderRalph Cerminara
Founded atSydney
TypeFar-right
PurposeAnti-Islamism
Location
  • Sydney, Australia
President
Chris Rothwell
President, Western Sydney
Nathan Abela
Part of a series on
Far-right politics
in Australia
  •  Australia portal
Terrorism
  • Definitions
Part of a series on
Islamophobia

History

The ADL was founded in 2009 a registered not-for-profit organisation. They were founded as an offshoot of the English Defence League. It was led by Ralph Cerminera until he stepped down from the position in 2014 after being found guilty of assault.[2] In March 2019 Cerminera was sentenced to 9 months in prison after assaulting his neighbor.[3] He was replaced as the group's leader by Chris Rothwell.[4]

Stalking, verbal abuse and harassment

In 2014, the group came to national attention after it was revealed that ADL members and followers had been stalking and photographing Muslim women on public transport, verbally abusing Muslims, displaying anti-Islamic posters outside mosques, and threatening to blow up an Islamic school.[5]

Later in 2014, in what police believe was retaliation for the bomb threat, the home of Nathan Abela, former President of the ADL, was fired upon.[5] Following pressure by people associated with the #illridewithyou campaign, Facebook shut down pages of ADL.[6]

On 22 December 2014, two members of the ADL were involved in a brawl outside Sydney's Lakemba mosque, arrested, and charged with affray and behaving in an offensive manner. They were subsequently convicted and jailed for five weeks.[7][8]

Bendigo mosque protests

Beginning in 2014, the organisation was involved in the Voices of Bendigo and Stop the Mosques Bendigo protests. The group was one of a number of far-right Islamophobic groups, including the Q Society, Reclaim Australia, True Blue Crew and the United Patriots Front, that opposed the construction of a $3 million mosque and Islamic community centre in Bendigo, Victoria.[9][10]

gollark: And I would dominate the world from my emergency backup endbase.
gollark: It would have been very neat if we had "post-apocalyptic CN".
gollark: IKR, right?
gollark: Nobody else did, so I felt smugly superior for a few minutes before a backup was loaded.
gollark: Luckily, I had contingency plans in place and shunted my storage to my backup end base.

See also

References
  1. White, Alex. "The pro-white gangs spreading race hate across Australia". The Herald Sun. News International. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  2. Thompson, Angus. "Anti-Islamist filmed attacking 'Uber driver' neighbour". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  3. Rawsthorne, Sally (2019-03-14). "Former leader of far-right movement jailed for foul-mouthed attack on neighbour". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
  4. Hall, Bianca. "Street fights and 'internet vigilantes': Inside Australia's anti-Islam movement". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  5. Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Sean. "Tensions between Australian Defence League and Muslim community reach violent new heights". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  6. Kimmorley, Sarah. "Facebook Has Shut Down The Australian Defence League's Racist Page On Complaints From #illridewithyou Supporters". Business Insider. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  7. "Australian Defence League leader Ralph Cerminara refused bail over Lakemba brawl". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  8. Hall, Bianca. "Street fights and 'internet vigilantes': Inside Australia's anti-Islam movement". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  9. "Sociel Cohesion In Bendigo" (PDF). Victorian Multicultural Commission. Victorian Government. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  10. "Far-right group spreading anti-mosque message in Bendigo". theage.com. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  11. "Romper Stomper reboot is a compelling investigation into Australia's extremist politics". ABC News. 30 December 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
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