When America’s rage comes here: Political & law-enforcement violence in Australia and the US connection

We all know violence is nothing new. But what’s happening right now with politically charged violence and attacks on law-enforcement in Australia has a very visible echo of what we’ve been seeing in the United States. My view: the rise in these kinds of incidents here is strongly influenced by the US story — and that matters.

What we’re seeing

• A protest in Melbourne (Victoria) last weekend turned violent, when anti-immigration demonstrators clashed with counter-protesters. Two police officers were injured; bottles and rocks were thrown; riot gear deployed. 

• In a separate incident, men linked to a neo-Nazi group attacked an Indigenous protest site in Melbourne after anti-immigration rallies. Victims included young women of colour; racist slurs were used. 

• Earlier this year, two officers were killed and a third injured on 26 August 2025 in Victoria when executing a warrant near Porepunkah. The target was described as a “sovereign citizen” type and the event shocked the country. 

• Nationwide anti-immigration rallies (eg: the “March for Australia” series) have drawn far-right and nationalist symbolism, clashing with counter-protests, and becoming more violent. 

You can find out more about these incidents by clicking on the event and you will be redirected to the source.

How the influence works

• Global media and social media show us what’s “working” elsewhere: violent confrontation becomes visible, framed as “standing up” or “fighting back”.

• When people here feel politically, socially or economically marginalised, the US model of “us vs them” (government/law-enforcement vs “the people”) becomes an accessible narrative.

• Attacks on law enforcement and people who hold opposing views aren’t just “crime” now — they’re a statement. The US has elevated such violence into political theatre; we are starting to see the script here.

• Politically-framed means anyone who disagrees with other views, not just politicians. At rallies, on the streets, disagreement becomes target. That aligns with US patterns.

• Law-enforcement becomes a symbol of “the system” and so becomes a target. The US has many incidents of officers being attacked at protests or being targeted as icons of power. We’re seeing fragments of that in Australia.

Why this is this a problem?

Australia isn’t immune. We might think we are — “we’re different” — but the flows of ideas and behaviours mean we can slide faster than we’d like. The spike in attacks on law-enforcement and politically-framed violence suggests we’re already shifting.

If we don’t recognise that a large part of the trend is influenced by what we see overseas, especially in the US, we’ll be reactive rather than proactive. Violence asks for a platform. The US has shown what happens when that platform grows. Australia must recognise the signal earlier.

Take-away

Politically-framed violence and attacks on law-enforcement in Australia aren’t just local outbursts. They are strongly influenced by what we see in the US — from rhetoric, to high-profile incidents, to media representation of violence as a tool. Recognising that means we can shift from being surprised, to being prepared.

Violence doesn’t change anything. But understanding why people turn to it — especially when shaped by global narratives — might stop the next incident before it happens.

Written By Joe Horvat

Recovery Coach & Complex Care Manager