A video has emerged of the moment police detained a group of people who were set to attend Perth’s Anzac Day Dawn Service due to their links to March for Australia.
It came after services in the eastern states were marred by the booing of welcome to country ceremonies, something that had been encouraged by a group calling itself Fight for Australia in an online campaign.
The group, which is associated with former March for Australia identity Bec Freedom, had been telling followers to boo the welcomes by Indigenous elders in the lead up to Saturday’s Anzac Day services.
Footage of police blocking five people from the Perth event was shared on social media by far-right news outlet The Noticer and ex-March for Australia national organiser Ms Freedom.
“This is next level crazy, people removed because of their ‘links to March For Australia’,” Freedom wrote on social media.
“My personal apologies to those who were removed in Perth. But you’re all patriotic legends.”
In the video a police officer can be heard explaining why the group would not be allowed to attend, saying authorities believed they would “interrupt” the Dawn Service.
“Due to your association with the March for Australia group, and their actions in the eastern states, you are being removed from the ceremony due to the belief you will interrupt it,” he said.
The group asked “why”, with one man heard saying “we’re not interrupting anything, mate”.
The officer said: “same reason that your group interrupted the three in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia”.
“Therefore all five of you are detained, you’ll each be receiving a move on notice … if you fail to leave you will be arrested and taken to Perth Watch House.”
A man could be heard saying that “just because someone else did something doesn’t mean we’re going to do something” and he wanted to pay respects to the Anzacs.
“Your association to that group has unfortunately ruined your opportunity to remain at the ceremony today,” the officer replied.
Fight For Australia had asked in an X post on Friday “Will you be booing the welcome to country this year?”
It had also shared a template for followers to request local RSL branches to cancel planned Welcome to Country ceremonies on Saturday.
Ms Freedom – real name Bec Walker – wrote in a post on X that “one of our Perth team members” was detained and prevented from entering the Perth service.
She shared a video posted by a woman who said she was among the group who was detained, who claimed police didn’t ask for identification and that some of them were not associated with March for Australia.
A March for Australia representative told news.com.au Ms Freedom was no longer affiliated with the group, and Fight for Australia was not associated with its movement.
“We are aware Western Australia police kicked out veterans and members of the public from dawn services for their alleged associations with us and we will be making legal enquiries.”
Services in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth were marred by booing during welcome to country, with RSL and political leaders condemning the incidents.
Writing for The Guardian, prominent Indigenous writer and academic Maria Langton called the offenders “nasty louts” and said authorities should ban them from future services.
Ms Langton wrote that “despicable and ignorant” booing dishonoured the memory of all Australian service personnel, calling it a “moral crime”.
“The morons who tried to snatch the sacred moment away from them, and those of us who observe with them at Dawn Services, deserve more than contempt and a few words of rancour,” she said.
“They should be named, photographed and banned from all future Anzac Day services.
“If the AFL can ban disruptive racists, the police forces of Australia should similarly be able to deal with these people.”
The RSL leaders of both NSW and Victoria slammed the incidents, with RSL Victoria president Mark Schroffel saying those booing “showed they are weak-minded individuals who do not belong at this service”.
RSL NSW acting president Vincent William said: “I’m pretty convinced that none of that bunch of louts who were booing has ever done anything constructive for our nation”.
