A man accused of disrupting the Anzac Day dawn service by booing the Welcome to Country has been linked to a prominent neo-Nazi rally held last November. Eli Toby, 24, allegedly participated in a group that booed for 66 seconds during the sacred ceremony at Sydney's Martin Place on Saturday.
When confronted outside his parents' home in Penrith, where he resides, Toby declined to apologize for the alleged act. Instead, he questioned a 7News reporter, asking, 'How'd you find me?' When asked if his parents were aware of the disruption, he responded, 'I haven't told them yet. I'd rather you guys not tell them.'
Toby was previously identified as a member of the National Socialist Network, which held a rally to 'abolish the Jewish lobby' outside NSW Parliament House last year. Regarding his actions on Saturday, Toby stated he 'should be able to say what I like.' He claimed, 'The Welcome to Country's not right. Because it is designed to humiliate the memory of white Australia.'
RSL President Peter Tinley expressed confusion over the booing. 'It was the opportunity for us to come together and reflect on what it is to be Australian and how enjoyable this country is,' he said. 'For some people to feel the need to make a statement like that, I'm quite confused as to what that statement is, quite frankly. There's 364 other days they can make that statement, and why would they choose today?'
The RSL has since announced it is reviewing the ceremony. Many Australians were deeply upset by the protest occurring on a day of remembrance. During the Sydney service, after the booing and jeering had ceased, applause and cheering erupted in support of Uncle Ray Minniecon, who was delivering the traditional Indigenous welcome.
When asked if the dawn service was an appropriate venue for the alleged demonstration, Toby said, 'I haven't really given it much thought to be honest.' Toby has been charged with an act of public nuisance and released on bail. He is scheduled to appear in court in June.
