Far-right demonstrators have been condemned and could face punishment after storming an Aboriginal protest site.

A group of men dressed in black violently clashed with people at Camp Sovereignty in King’s Domain on Sunday afternoon following the March for Australia rally in Melbourne’s CBD.

The camp, first created in 2006 to coincide with the Commonwealth Games and re-established in 2024, is a burial site with the remains of Indigenous people from 38 clans.

Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell was among the black-clad men, who lashed out at Camp Sovereignty members with kicks and verbal abuse.

Footage showed some of the men stepping on an Aboriginal flag, prompting the other group to chant “always was, always will be, Aboriginal land”.

In a statement, Camp Sovereignty organisers accused the men of targeting women “completely unprovoked”.

“They came armed with poles to attack a group of predominantly women at a peace camp,” the camp’s co-founder Keiran Stewart-Assheton said.

Organisers said four people required medical attention, including two hospitalised with severe head injuries.

The group said police did not arrive until the men had already moved on, with no arrests made.

However, police claimed they moved the men on after they formed a line and assaulted various members of the other group with sticks and flag poles.

A man and woman received medical assistance at the scene, with police launching an investigation into what it described as an affray.

“The investigation remains ongoing,” Victoria Police said.

It was an appalling attack on Victoria’s First Nations people, Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said.

“Do these people even understand the definition of Indigenous? It means first, it means native,” Mr Carroll told reporters.

“Our Aboriginal people have been here for 65,000 years.

“We’re all immigrants. This was their land and we need to respect that.”

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the men went to the camp with the intent to cause trouble and described their behaviour as disgraceful.

“Police will be investigating those matters and will also be in contact with members of Camp Sovereignty as well as other First Nations people who are deeply upset and distressed with that activity yesterday,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne on Monday.

“This is what happens … when you have bullies in the community who roam in packs to intimidate others.

“It’s gutless and it needs to be called out.”

Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe, whose uncle Robbie Thorpe established the camp, wants the attack to be investigated as a hate crime.

“The aim of this attack was to cause fear and terror in the hearts and minds of our people,” the Gunai and Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung woman said.

Source: AAP