Perth Invasion Day rally failed bombing deemed terrorist attack by WA Police
Updated ,first published
A Perth man accused of throwing a homemade bomb into a crowd of Invasion Day protesters was allegedly motivated by racism, hatred and “pro-white” ideologies, with authorities officially declaring the incident an act of terrorism.
The 31-year-old man, who cannot be identified due to a suppression order, was allegedly caught on camera throwing explosives into a crowd of around 2,500 people who had gathered in Perth’s CBD on January 26 to protest the date of Australia Day.
The device, which WA Police claimed was filled with screws and ball bearings and designed to explode on impact, did not explode, triggering police to evacuate the incident.
If the bomb had gone off, WA Police and the WA government believed it could have led to a “mass casualty incident”.
The incident was not immediately declared an act of terrorism, as it took authorities nine days to investigate the accused man’s motive behind the attack.
On Thursday, WA Premier Roger Cook, accompanied by Western Australian Police Commissioner Col Blanch, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett and Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, announced the declaration.
“I can confirm today that the WA joint counter-terrorism team, comprising WA Police, Australian Federal Police and ASIO, has determined that the incident in Perth last Monday should be charged as an act of terrorism,” he said.
“As a result, a 31-year-old man was charged with committing an act of terrorism.
“This is the first time this charge has been made in Western Australia.
“This charge… alleges that the attack on Aboriginal people and other peaceful protesters was motivated by hateful, racist ideology.”
The new charge, which is the result of a joint investigation called Operation Dumfries, carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Blanch said the man’s internet history revealed he had “self-radicalized” online and accessed “pro-white material.”
Asked if the defendant had connections to white nationalist groups, Blanch said: “This ideology was prevalent in their access to the internet.”
Blanch said the defendant was not known to police before the alleged attack, but there may be signs that family or friends might have noticed.
“My appeal to our community is if you know someone who is saying these things against Aboriginal people or anyone else and they are stepping up their hateful views, call the authorities. We will take action. We will not wait,” he said.
“…whatever was looking out for the people at that rally that day prevented the explosion and we should all be grateful…”
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch
Barrett said he believed this was the first case of its kind in the country where Aboriginal people were targeted.
He said the charge was a warning to other individuals and groups who espouse hateful speech.
He revealed that AFP national security investigation teams, or “hate busters”, currently operating in New South Wales, Victoria and Canberra, had been established in Western Australia.
“Across Australia, including the west, there are individuals and existing and emerging groups who turn to violence who are eroding the social fabric of the country by advocating hatred, fear and contempt, and I am here to draw attention to these groups and individuals,” he said.
The declaration of a terrorist act came after rally organizers and politicians called on authorities to recognize the seriousness of the incident, warning that it could be a “mass casualty” incident and appeared to be a calculated attempt to harm First Nations people and their supporters.
A motion condemning the attempted bombing was also passed in the Senate this week, with Senator Lidia Thorpe calling it “an appalling, blatant act of hatred and racism”.
Blanch rejected accusations that police did not take the incident seriously, pointing to the immediate involvement of the AFP and ASIO and the public statement made after the incident suggesting the incident was being investigated as a potential terrorist attack.
“I disagree with the proposition of those who say it takes too long,” he said.
McCarthy, who marched with Noongar elders in Forrest Place on Thursday morning, described the incident as “an attempt to bomb a peaceful First Nations rally led by First Nations, Australians and their allies.”
“When our social integrity is attacked, all of us in this parliament, the government, the opposition and the benches must consistently focus and condemn,” he said.
“The events of the last few months have certainly highlighted that wherever we are in this country, we all need to be vigilant and work consciously to create a social, cohesive community.”
McCarthy said there was no doubt in his mind that the Australian Federal Police, WA Police and ASIO were working immediately to help keep Australians safe.
In parliament on Thursday, federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said Australia “can never accept a situation where we resort to violence to resolve our political differences”.
“These are sensitive times for our society, and it is incumbent upon all of us here to foster peaceful, civil debate and protect our great democracy against hatred and violence,” he said.
Blanch reiterated that the device allegedly thrown at the rally was a live explosive.
“It should have gone out and the fuse should have blown,” he said.
“Whether it fell or failed… whatever was looking at people at the rally that day prevented the explosion and we should all be thankful that we didn’t have people killed or seriously injured in Western Australia.”
The 31-year-old man has already been charged with intent to cause harm and making explosives with questionable intentions. He will be formally charged with terrorism offenses when he returns to court later this month.
This is the second act of terrorism investigated by WA Police in as many years, following the police shooting of a teenage boy who stabbed a stranger in a car park in Willetton in 2024.
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Hamish Hastie is WAtoday’s state political correspondent and the winner of five WA Media Awards, including the 2023 Beck Award for best political journalism.Connect with: X or email.
