Transport for NSW has placed one of its frontline workers on leave after he was seen participating in a neo-Nazi gathering at Parliament House.
The individual, identified by The Sydney Morning Herald as Cooper Stephens, a Sydney Trains employee, was among those dressed in black attire and sunglasses.
Sydney Trains has expressed serious concerns over Stephens’ involvement and has initiated disciplinary measures.
“Pending the investigation, Sydney Trains has instructed the employee to refrain from attending work,” stated Sydney Trains in an announcement this afternoon.
“This employee holds a frontline position, and his actions are not endorsed by Sydney Trains or Transport for NSW, as they contradict public sector values.”
On Saturday, numerous members of the neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network, dressed in black, assembled outside Parliament House to take a photograph with a banner that read, “abolish the Jewish lobby.”
The incident raised concerns about why their form one application to protest had been approved 10 days before the rally, without NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon and Premier Chris Minns knowing. 
The application, which was addressed to the police commissioner, explicitly stated that the neo-Nazis wanted to protest against Jewish lobby groups.
Lanyon conceded there was a “communication error” which left him and the government in the dark.
Minns has used the situation to call for new legislation and tougher penalties on hate speech.
”It’s obviously shameful that these people feel that they have the right to demonstrate in such a despicable, hateful way, spewing division and racism on the streets of Sydney,” he said at a press conference later that same day. 
NSW Council of Civil Liberties Tim Roberts said it was hypocritical that the neo-Nazi rally was allowed to go ahead when NSW Police had attempted to block pro-Palestine protests at the city’s monuments like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
Two female MPs who condemned the neo-Nazi rally, Liberal Kellie Sloane and Independent Allegra Spender, were threatened with sexual violence and death online, with social media posts referred to police for further investigation. 
National Socialist Network’s New Zealand-born leader, Thomas Sewell, was behind bars during the rally outside Parliament House after allegedly leading his group to violently attack people at a sacred Indigenous site in Melbourne following a March for Australia rally on August 31.
