Patriotic Youth League
Encyclopedia
The Patriotic Youth League (PYL) was a youth organisation in Australia
. They described themselves as 'radical nationalists', however the media and other groups labelled them Neo-Nazis. Their logo was the Eureka Flag
.
The PYL was founded in late 2002 by Stuart McBeth, a student at the University of Newcastle
who was previously involved with the One Nation Party
. It acted as the youth wing of the Australia First Party
, under the mentorship of former National Socialist Party of Australia member and National Action
leader Dr. James Saleam
.
The PYL allegedly has numerous links to international White Supremacist
groups, including the New Zealand National Front
and Volksfront
. Andrew Wilson, then the president of the PYL's Sydney
branch, told the Herald that McBeth had founded the Australian branch of the Volksfront
organisation.
Before closing their main website, the PYL advertised neo-Nazi bands and declared "soon the Newcastle foreshore will be packed with lowered utes with chrome rims and awesome stereos pumping out Fortress."
At its peak the PYL was believed to have branches in Sydney, Newcastle
, Canberra
and Melbourne
. The PYL's Melbourne branch was closed in 2006 by its leader Luke Connors. He claimed that there were too many neo-Nazis in the Australia First Party and the League, and that they were holding the party back. The PYL's Newcastle chapter folded shortly thereafter.
Due to the official closure of two of their branches, as well as their official website being defunct since 2006, the PYL are believed to be completely disbanded.
at the University of Newcastle.
In December 2005, PYL members were present at the Cronulla riots
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They described themselves as 'radical nationalists', however the media and other groups labelled them Neo-Nazis. Their logo was the Eureka Flag
Eureka Flag
The Eureka Flag is a design; a dark blue field with a central white symmetric cross consisting five eight-pointed stars, representing the Crux constellation....
.
The PYL was founded in late 2002 by Stuart McBeth, a student at the University of Newcastle
University of Newcastle, Australia
The University of Newcastle is an Australian public university that was established in 1965. The University's main and largest campus is located in Callaghan, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales...
who was previously involved with the One Nation Party
One Nation Party
One Nation is a far-right and nationalist political party in Australia. It gained 22% of the vote translating to 11 of 89 seats in Queensland's unicameral legislative assembly at the 1998 state election and made major inroads into the vote of the existing parties...
. It acted as the youth wing of the Australia First Party
Australia First Party
The Australia First Party is a minor far-right political party in Australia that is federally registered and is also registered to contest local elections in New South Wales. The Party is led by Jim Saleam. Saleam is the Chairman of the Party in New South Wales but plays a major role in the Party...
, under the mentorship of former National Socialist Party of Australia member and National Action
National Action
National Action may refer to:* National Action , a defunct Australian Political Party* National Action , an emerging Maltese Pressure Group*National Action , a South African political party...
leader Dr. James Saleam
Jim Saleam
Dr James Saleam is an Australian far-right activist and the current chairman of the Australia First Party. Saleam was a former member of the short-lived National Socialist Party of Australia in the early 1970s.Saleam co-founded National Action on Anzac Day, 1982...
.
The PYL allegedly has numerous links to international White Supremacist
White supremacy
White supremacy is the belief, and promotion of the belief, that white people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds. The term is sometimes used specifically to describe a political ideology that advocates the social and political dominance by whites.White supremacy, as with racial...
groups, including the New Zealand National Front
New Zealand National Front
The New Zealand National Front is a small white nationalist political party in New Zealand.-First formation:Mirroring developments in the UK, a group called the National Front evolved out of the New Zealand branch of the League of Empire Loyalists in 1967...
and Volksfront
Volksfront
Volksfront describes itself as an international fraternal organization for persons of European descent. It has been called "neo-Nazi" and a "racist-skinhead group" in press reports...
. Andrew Wilson, then the president of the PYL's Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
branch, told the Herald that McBeth had founded the Australian branch of the Volksfront
Volksfront
Volksfront describes itself as an international fraternal organization for persons of European descent. It has been called "neo-Nazi" and a "racist-skinhead group" in press reports...
organisation.
Before closing their main website, the PYL advertised neo-Nazi bands and declared "soon the Newcastle foreshore will be packed with lowered utes with chrome rims and awesome stereos pumping out Fortress."
At its peak the PYL was believed to have branches in Sydney, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. The PYL's Melbourne branch was closed in 2006 by its leader Luke Connors. He claimed that there were too many neo-Nazis in the Australia First Party and the League, and that they were holding the party back. The PYL's Newcastle chapter folded shortly thereafter.
Due to the official closure of two of their branches, as well as their official website being defunct since 2006, the PYL are believed to be completely disbanded.
Alleged links to violence
The Sydney Morning Herald has linked the PYL to racially motivated attacksHate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
at the University of Newcastle.
In December 2005, PYL members were present at the Cronulla riots
2005 Cronulla riots
The 2005 Cronulla riots were a series of sectarian clashes and mob violence originating in Cronulla, New South Wales and spreading, over the next few nights, to additional Sydney suburbs....
.
External links
- "Race hate group unstuck" by Adam Bennett, Sun-Herald, 19 December 2004
- "White supremacists hide in quiet suburbs" by William Birnbauer and Claire Miller, The Age, 18 December 2005
- Fight Dem Back An anti-racism group, critical of the PYL
- Patriotik Yoof Leauge A critical spoof of the Patriotic Youth League.