Neo-Nazis stage protest at INdian prime minister’s hotel
A far-right thief was thrown out of the Melbourne hotel where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was staying during his three-day visit to Australia, after a late-night tirade in the lobby of the CBD hotel.
Neo-Nazi associate Hugo Lennon, a wealthy real estate development heir and far-right influence, posted footage of the demonstration around 1 a.m. Thursday. In the video, police officers quickly surround Lennon and yell “f— Modi!” he shouts, pushing her away from the first-floor balcony overlooking the hotel lobby. and “f— India!”
Prime Minister Modi landed in Melbourne at 10.30pm on Wednesday, where he was welcomed by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and federal Housing Minister Clare O’Neil.
Police did not respond to questions at press time about whether any charges would be laid or how Lennon knew where the Indian prime minister was staying.
Lennon and Melbourne stockbroker Mitch Hobbs, who goes by the name “Sir Doug”, organized a protest against Modi’s visit that officially began on Thursday morning.
Posters from the protest event are being shared online by prominent neo-Nazis, including Thomas Sewell, leader of the now-outlawed National Socialist Network.
Security measures are expected to be high throughout the trip after the Australian Federal Police issued an official warning to the teenager who made death threats against Modi last week.
A spokesperson for AFP said on Monday that the source of the online threat had been identified and spoken to on July 3.
“Following assessment of the matter, the young man was issued a formal warning,” an AFP spokesman said.
“There is no current or impending risk to the community.”
Lennon’s overnight stunt follows a series of ambushes of politicians by far-right figures during the 2025 federal election; This included two other known neo-Nazi associates confronting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a Melbourne hotel lobby. Participants in the clashes at the time boasted in leaked audio that they had obtained “exclusive intelligence” on Albanese’s movements.
Both Lennon and Hobbs are among a number of wealthy backers recently unmasked by this imprint, and are now helping Sewell and his supporters plan their transition into politics.
Some far-right figures living interstate said they planned to fly to Melbourne to join the protest on Thursday, while others posted information online about their movements in the city during Modi’s visit.
Sherryn Groch is a journalist covering crime for The Age. Email her at s.groch@nine.com.au or contact her securely on Signal @SherrynG.70.Connect with: X or email.
