Police are examining CCTV footage showing neo-Nazi stickers and posters being plastered over Victoria University’s Footscray Park campus.
Homophobic material and “Nazi Youth” stickers with swastikas, all featuring the website address of neo-Nazi group Antipodean Resistance, were pasted in a seemingly coordinated blitz on university campuses in Melbourne, Ballarat and Bendigo on Sunday to coincide with the start of semester.
The incident closely follows an outcry over anti-Jewish flyers dropped into letterboxes in Footscray that describe Jews as “pure evil”.
A VU spokeswoman said the university has a zero tolerance approach to racism and campus security took swift action to remove the material.
“We strongly condemn these actions and are working with police to find those responsible,” she said.
“They have reviewed the available CCTV footage and handed this over to police for further investigation.”
The spokeswoman said VU’s diverse community is made up of more than 90 different cultures and the university supports the national ‘Racism.It.Stops.With.Me’ campaign.
“As a University committed to openness we will continue to take action against racism whenever it occurs.”
Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich said Antipodean Resistance is driven by racism, xenophobia and white supremacy.
“This latest chilling incident is stark reminder that neo-Nazis are amongst us, and are a serious threat to our safety and to our way of life,” he said.
“Violence may not be far away, and so we, as a community, and the police, must tackle this rising tide of radicalism before it spreads even further.”
Dr Abramovich called on political and religious leaders to unite in calling out a “dramatic upsurge” in far-right activity.
A police spokesman said the Victoria Police Security Intelligence Unit is aware of offensive stickers being posted in locations around Victoria.
“As it’s an active investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
