Anthony Albanese says he will not be deterred from attending public engagements after it was revealed far-right associates of neo-Nazis allegedly threatened to kidnap the Prime Minister mere hours after the Bondi Beach terror attack.
It was reported on Sunday threats were made to abduct Mr Albanese, including a $10,000 offer to rent a van, within a Discord online chatroom run by far-right activists and containing neo-Nazi members.
Acknowledging the reports, Mr Albanese said it was “true the threats have increased”.
“There have a been a range of issues that we have had to deal with, including in the week after December 14,” he told ABC.
“My focus is on keeping all Australians safe, not myself. I trust the AFP and the authorities to do their task and I’m absolutely determined to not be deterred from attending any event or engaging as Prime Minister with the Australian people.”
At least five people have been charged in recent months over alleged threats against Mr Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns, including a Sydney man accused of making threatening calls to the Prime Minister’s office and a 19-year-old Western Australian teen accused of sending messages threatening to kill on social media.
Threats against office holders have increased in recent years alongside an increase in the visibility of neo-Nazi groups.
Neo-Nazi figure Joel Davis was denied bail earlier this month after he allegedly invited members of the no-defunct Nationalist Socialist Network (NSN) to “rhetorically rape” independent Wentworth MP Allegra Spender on a Telegram social media channel.
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane also claimed to have faced threats after the prominent female politicians criticised a neo-Nazi rally outside state parliament last year.
The NSW last week said they would disband in the wake of new anti-hate laws rushed through federal parliament on Tuesday ion response to the Bondi Beach terror attack.
The group is not accused of any relation to the attack, but have been repeatedly singled out by ASIO Director-general Mark Burgess and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke over their rhetoric.
https://thewest.com.au/news/not-deterred-anthony-albanese-defiant-after-alleged-far-right-kidnap-threat-c-21415206
