National anti-racist organisation Democracy in Colour has joined the call for the attack on the Boorloo/Perth Invasion Day rally be investigated as an act of terrorism and a hate crime.
On Monday an improvised explosive device was thrown into the peaceful crowd of approximately 2,500 people gathered at Forrest Place. The device was packed with volatile chemicals, ball bearings, and screws designed to cause mass casualties.
Democracy in Colour noted that while a 31-year-old man has been charged with making explosives and intent to harm and is in custody, the response "fails to address the clear political and racial motives of the attack".
'A calculated attempt to cause mass harm to First Nations people'
The organisation's National Director Noura Mansour said the attack must be taken appropriately seriously.
"What we saw in Perth was a calculated attempt to cause mass harm to First Nations people and their supporters and should not be downplayed by the media and authorities. To treat this as a simple criminal matter rather than a targeted act of hate is a slap in the face to the communities living under the threat of far-right violence," she said.
One of the Boorloo rally co-organisers, Fabian Yarran, said the attack "must be fully investigated as an act of terrorism and a hate crime against First Nations people and protesters, and appropriately charged as such".
"The police, government and media response in the 24 hours following the incident has been inadequate, comprising solely of investigations and charges for less serious, non-terror and non-hate offences," the Noongar advocate said on Tuesday.
Mr Yarran called for the Royal Commission into antisemitism to be expanded to "include all forms of racism, and far-right extremism".
"What we are seeing is not an isolated issue; these threats impact many communities, and any serious inquiry must reflect that reality," he said.
"This incident highlights a broader and ongoing failure by police to properly address the rise of the far right. These threats are real, escalating, and must be treated with the urgency they demand."
'Attempts to downplay the incident risk normalising violence directed at First Nations people'
Amnesty International Australia also urged WA Police and the state government to conduct an investigation into the incident as a hate crime, "with charges that reflect the severity and intent of the alleged conduct".
"The federal government must fully implement the Australian Human Rights Commission's anti-racism framework and expand the Royal Commission into antisemitism to cover all forms of racism and far-right extremism," Amnesty said in a statement on Wednesday.
"This was a targeted act of violence against a First Nations-led rally and must be treated as a hate crime. Repeated attempts to frame or downplay the incident as anything less misrepresent its seriousness and risk normalising violence directed at First Nations people.
"Specialist officers from the WA Police Bomb Response Unit and forensic teams confirmed that the device was a 'fragment bomb', packed with volatile chemicals and designed to explode on impact, which was thrown into a crowd of over 2000. Its design and placement indicate it was intended to maximise harm and instill fear among participants."
Amnesty International Australia said it understands the Joint National Counter-Terrorism Team has been assisting WA Police in their investigation, "highlighting the severity and significance of this incident".
"This rally was attended by thousands, including Elders, children, and babies. It is a miracle the device didn't explode. This was a deliberate attack on First Nations people, designed to cause maximum harm and fear, it comes amid rising racist and hate-fuelled attacks," said Kacey Teerman, Indigenous Rights Campaigner at Amnesty International Australia.
"First Nations people should not be fearful when gathering to protest, mourn or speak truth. The rally was a peaceful protest grounded in truth-telling and calls for justice. An attack on such a gathering is an attack on First Nations people, on peaceful protest and on people's rights to live free from violence, vilification, and discrimination."
In a statement issued Wednesday, Democracy in Colour said it stands in solidarity with the First Nations community in Boorloo/Perth and calls for "an immediate federal review into the handling of far-right threats against peaceful protests".
"We need a response that protects all racialised communities from the growing threat of white supremacy and systemic racism. A narrow focus on one form of hate fails to address the rising tide of anti-First Nations racism, anti-migrant racism and far-right extremism across Australia," the group said.
