Anti-trans Posie Parker supporters give Nazi salutes and chant ‘white power’
Neo-Nazis supported a Posie Parker ‘Let Women Speak’ event in Melbourne. (Twitter / @akaWACA)
Extremist supporters of British anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, better known as Posie Parker, descended on the streets of Melbourne.
Around 30 members of the far-right National Socialist Movement, dressed in black and some wearing balaclava-style face coverings, marched down Spring Street in the state capital of Victoria, Australia, on Saturday (18 March).
Carrying a banner that read “destroy paedo freaks”, they shouted slurs at LGBT+ activists, chanted “white power” and threw up Nazi salutes.
The West Australian estimated that although there were around 400 people attending the ‘Let Women Speak’ event in support of Keen-Minshull, LGBTQ+ counter-protesters outnumbered them 2:1.
Chants of “Posie Parker you can’t hide, you’ve got Nazis on your side” could be heard.
Keen-Minshull was joined by Katherine Deves, who ran unsuccessfully as Liberal candidate for Warringah in 2022, and who has had to retract and apologise for comparing anti-transgender activism to “standing up against the Holocaust”.
During the event, Keen-Minshull took aim at “stupid young women”, shouting “you hate us, but you will become us”.
Keen-Minshull has been in Australia since last Saturday, with a tour starting in Sydney and including appearances in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart. The self-described women’s rights activist will then travel to New Zealand.
At all of her tour dates so far, Keen-Minshull has been met with protests from the LGBTQ+ community and allies.
On Saturday, Keen-Minshull’s private security were accused of manhandling a woman protesting the event, with a video shared on Twitter showing her being held by the throat after she grabbed a mic.
The Victoria Police faced accusations of assaulting queer protesters by social media users, “well after Posie Parker left”.
A Victoria Police spokesperson told Star Observer that three people were arrested.
“A 22-year-old Point Cook man was arrested for allegedly putting a female officer in a headlock and taking her to the ground.
“A 23-year-old Thornbury woman was also arrested for allegedly slapping a police officer on the neck. Both are expected to be charged with numerous offences including assaulting police.
“A third person, a 22-year-old from Preston, was also arrested for unlawful assault. Police will review CCTV, body-worn cameras and social media footage to determine whether any further offences occurred.”
Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull has made headlines for activism that centres around whipping up anti-trans hatred.
In a video broadcast on Twitter in February, she threatened women who oppose her, stating: “Each and every one of you women who stand in my way … will be annihilated.” In the same rant, she compared trans women to sexual predators and serial killers.
In January, a so-called gender critical activist was recorded quoting Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf in a speech against trans rights at another Posie Parker event in Newcastle.
Let Women Speak has been approached for comment.
