Far-right protester gatecrashed Modi's Melbourne hotel, another issued death threat
What's the story
A far-right anti-immigrant activist allegedly heckled Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Melbourne hotel shortly after he arrived in Australia for his two-day visit on Wednesday. Hugo Lennon, who had gatecrashed the hotel, reportedly shouted abuse-laced slogans against Modi from a first-floor balcony overlooking the lobby. "F*** Modi! This is Australia. No more Indians. We don't want any more migration," he yelled, according to reports. Lennon was quickly removed by police from the hotel premises.
Twitter Post
Video shows Lennon at hotel balcony
‘No more Indians!’
— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) July 8, 2026
Australia First activist Hugo Lennon, who says mass migration is to blame for the housing crisis, shouts down Indian PM Modi during state visit pic.twitter.com/BedK8uXMgd
Protester's identity
Lennon was quickly removed by police from hotel premises
While it is unclear how Lennon knew about the Modi's location, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that "some far-right influencers had shared knowledge online of Modi's movements around the city during his visit." A Victoria Police spokesperson later confirmed that a 22-year-old man had "attended a hotel and shouted political statements" around 12:30am and was "moved on by police without incident." The paper identified Lennon as a "neo-Nazi associate" and wealthy property development heir who has become a far-right influencer.
Protest continuation
Lennon returns with anti-immigrant protest outside stadium
On Thursday, Lennon returned with a group of anti-immigrant protesters outside Melbourne's Marvel Stadium, where Modi was addressing the Indian diaspora. They allegedly tried to disrupt Modi's address, once again shouting racist abuse and displaying signs like "Stop Indian Invasion" and "Modi Go Home." However, their efforts were drowned out by crowds entering the stadium and two musical groups performing nearby.
Cops
Drumming group played directly in front of neo-Nazis
Lennon was eventually forced to abandon his plan when the Janagar Jana Dhol Pathak, a drumming group founded by Indian-origin Australians, began performing right in front of the far-right activists. According to The Daily Mail, Lennon was one of the key organizers of last year's anti-immigrant "March for Australia," a series of countrywide events that gathered thousands of like-minded anti-immigrant protesters. Many of its organizers, including Lennon, were later linked to different neo-Nazi and white nationalist associations.
Visit conclusion
Despite protests, PM's Australia visit goes on as planned
In another case, news.com.au reported that a man was issued a formal warning by police after he allegedly threatened Modi on social media. The Australian Federal Police said it investigated an online death threat allegedly made toward Modi before his Marvel Stadium event. Despite the protests, Modi's visit to Australia went on as planned. He addressed the Indian community and held bilateral talks with Albanese. Australian media later praised the "landmark visit," with one columnist hailing Modi as "Mr. India."