Protesters clashed with supporters of Pauline Hanson outside a Melbourne venue hosting a One Nation fundraiser on Friday. Michael Nelson, who had recently been convicted for offensive behavior and fined for disrupting an Anzac Day dawn service, was restrained by police after being heard chanting “Hail Pauline Hanson … the great white hope” while being handcuffed and accusing officers of arresting him for supporting the party.
The disturbance occurred after One Nation was forced to move its Moonee Ponds fundraiser, originally slated to feature Hanson and former National MP Barnaby Joyce, to a South Melbourne location. The original venue, the Italian restaurant Giorgio Casa, cancelled the booking on Friday afternoon citing safety concerns related to planned counter‑protests by anti‑fascist and socialist activist groups. Hanson said the venue change was due to a surge in bookings, not the protests, and asserted that she would not be deterred by demonstrators.
About 30 demonstrators gathered near the new site, where police maintained a visible presence. No formal arrests were made; a 22‑year‑old man was issued a direction to move on. The event concluded without major escalation, although Victoria Police indicated that CCTV footage of the incident would be reviewed as part of standard procedure.
At a media conference on Saturday, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen addressed the growing support for One Nation, stating that the party offers anger without answers and slogans without solutions, while his government provides substantive change. Bowen noted that Hanson and Joyce have indicated they will cooperate with the Liberal Party, warning that a vote for Angus Taylor, Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson would result in chaos, a choice that will be presented to Australian voters at the next election.