Australian Defence League
{{Short description|Islamophobic white nationalist street gang}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{use Australian English|date=April 2021}}
{{Update|section|reason=This group seems to be defunct|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Australian Defence League
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| abbreviation = ADL
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| successor = Patriots Defence League Australia
| formation = {{circa}} 2009
| founder = Ralph Cerminara
| founding_location = Sydney
| extinction = {{circa}} 2016
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| type = Far-right
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| purpose = Australian ultranationalism
Anti-Islam
Nativism
Right-wing populism
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| location = Sydney, Australia
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| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Chris Rothwell
| leader_title2 = President, Western Sydney
| leader_name2 = Nathan Abela
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{{Far-right politics in Australia}}
{{islamophobia}}
The Australian Defence League (ADL) is a militant far-right, white nationalist protest group. The group is anti-Islam, and has been involved in making terrorist threats, abusing, doxxing and stalking Muslim Australians. The gang was founded in Sydney in 2009 as an offshoot of the English Defence League.
History
The ADL was founded in 2009 a registered not-for-profit organisation. They were founded as an offshoot of the English Defence League.{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Alex |title=The pro-white gangs spreading race hate across Australia |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/the-prowhite-gangs-spreading-race-hate-across-australia/news-story/7384aef1faabe901d9f6937756a76ea8 |website=The Herald Sun |date=7 October 2014 |publisher=News International |access-date=30 March 2019}} It was led by Ralph Cerminera until he stepped down from the position in 2014 after being found guilty of assault.{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Angus |title=Anti-Islamist filmed attacking 'Uber driver' neighbour |date=5 February 2019 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/anti-islamist-filmed-attacking-uber-driver-neighbour-20190205-p50vtd.html |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=28 August 2019}} In March 2019, Cerminera was sentenced to 9 months in prison after assaulting his neighbour.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/former-leader-of-far-right-movement-jailed-for-foul-mouthed-attack-on-neighbour-20190314-p51463.html|title=Former leader of far-right movement jailed for foul-mouthed attack on neighbour|last=Rawsthorne|first=Sally|date=14 March 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=28 September 2019}} He was replaced as the group's leader by Chris Rothwell.{{cite web |last1=Hall |first1=Bianca |title=Street fights and 'internet vigilantes': Inside Australia's anti-Islam movement |date=16 October 2015 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/street-fights-and-internet-vigilantes-inside-australias-antiislam-movement-20151014-gk914v.html |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=28 August 2019}}
Activities
=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.{{cite web |last1=Rubinsztein-Dunlop |first1=Sean |title=Tensions between Australian Defence League and Muslim community reach violent new heights |date=21 April 2014 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-21/anti-islam-hate-campaign-raises-tensions-to-violent-new-heights/5402526|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=3 December 2017}}
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. Following pressure by people associated with the #illridewithyou campaign, Facebook shut down pages of ADL.{{cite web|last1=Kimmorley|first1=Sarah|title=Facebook Has Shut Down The Australian Defence League's Racist Page On Complaints From #illridewithyou Supporters|url=https://www.businessinsider.com.au/facebook-has-shut-down-the-australian-defence-leagues-racist-page-on-complaints-from-illridewithyou-supporters-2014-12|website=Business Insider|date=18 December 2014|access-date=3 December 2017|archive-date=31 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831140254/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/facebook-has-shut-down-the-australian-defence-leagues-racist-page-on-complaints-from-illridewithyou-supporters-2014-12|url-status=dead}}
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.{{cite web |title=Australian Defence League leader Ralph Cerminara refused bail over Lakemba brawl |date=23 December 2014 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-23/australian-defence-league-members-denied-bail-over-lakemba-brawl/5986264 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=3 December 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Hall |first1=Bianca |title=Street fights and 'internet vigilantes': Inside Australia's anti-Islam movement |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/street-fights-and-internet-vigilantes-inside-australias-antiislam-movement-20151014-gk914v.html |website=Sydney Morning Herald |date=16 October 2015 |publisher=Fairfax |access-date=30 March 2019}}
=Bendigo mosque protests=
{{further|Bendigo mosque protests}}
In 2014 and 2015, 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.{{cite web |title=Social Cohesion In Bendigo |url=https://www.multiculturalcommission.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-06/VMCSocialCohesionInBendigo.pdf|website=Victorian Multicultural Commission |publisher=Victorian Government |access-date=30 March 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/farright-group-spreading-antimosque-message-in-bendigo-20140621-zshj4|title=Far-right group spreading anti-mosque message in Bendigo|publisher=theage.com |date=23 June 2014|access-date=15 January 2016}}
See also
- Antipodean Resistance Australian neo-Nazi group that emerged around the same time as Reclaim Australia.
- Australia First Party Australian far-right political party associated with Reclaim Australia.
- Far-right politics in Australia
- Far-right terrorism in Australia
- Islamophobia in Australia
- National Action (Australia) Australian neo-Nazi group.
- Romper Stomper (TV series) - TV series featuring a group similar to Reclaim Australia
- Yellow Vest Australia
- Antisemitism in Australia
References
{{reflist}}
{{Disputed|what=table|small=left|date=January 2023}}
Category:White nationalism in Australia
Category:Far-right political parties in Australia
Category:Anti-Islam sentiment in Australia