NSW Speaker Blocked by Security After Attempt to Relocate Neo-Nazi Rally from Parliament

New South Wales Speaker Greg Piper says his request to move a neo-Nazi protest away from Parliament House was rejected by security officials, sparking fresh outrage over how the rally was allowed to proceed in front of the state’s most symbolic democratic building.

Piper revealed that one of his staff members alerted him late Friday about the planned Saturday protest organised by the far-right National Socialist Network. He immediately asked parliamentary security to relocate the gathering away from the front steps of the parliament but was told it was “not possible.”

“It seemed quite evident to me that this should not go on outside the parliament, but we were told there was nothing that could be done,” Piper told the Sydney Morning Herald. “To say this is a failure of communication is an understatement. This is a failure to be politically attuned to the implications of something like this.”

The protest, featuring more than 60 members of the National Socialist Network, took place on Macquarie Street with participants holding a banner that read “Abolish the Jewish Lobby.” The demonstration has triggered widespread condemnation from political leaders and the public.

Premier Chris Minns, Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, and Police Minister Yasmin Catley all said they were unaware of the rally before it occurred. Lanyon has since blamed an “internal communication error” for the approval of the group’s application to protest.

According to documents published by The Sydney Morning Herald, police had approved a “form 1” application lodged on 27 October by Jack Eltis “on behalf of White Australia, formerly the National Socialist Network.” The group claimed to be protesting hate speech laws allegedly driven by “Jewish advocacy groups.” NSW Police have declined to comment on the authenticity of the document but confirmed that the application was not escalated to senior leadership.

Lanyon told the ABC he was “disappointed” not to have been briefed on the protest, calling it a “matter of significance.” He added that if he had been informed, he would have considered seeking a Supreme Court order to block the rally.

Premier Minns has ordered a full review into how communication between police, security, and the government broke down, allowing the rally to proceed directly outside Parliament House.

Piper, who ensured additional constables were stationed at the scene, described the event as a “failure of the system.”

“We are a democratic society, and groups can protest within reason,” he said. “But I don’t think the parliament should be acquiescent to such a hate group. They’ve achieved exactly what they wanted—images of themselves in front of the most important democratic building in NSW, spreading an ugly message.”