Nazi collaborator supporters fail in their bid to shut down the Goldman Report
Serbian Chetniks with German friends in 1944 (left) and Serbian Chetniks marching as Allies in Australia, 2014 (right).
In a dramatic and ultimately unsuccessful bid to silence dissent and freedom of speech, a community group calling itself the Serbian Council of Australia (SCOFA), recently attempted to shut down the US-based anti-Nazi website, The Goldman Report.
SCOFA is a Serbian diaspora community umbrella body which has links to a range of other groups, including Serbian Chetniks Australia (SCA) who themselves are linked to World War II-era Nazi collaborators like Momcilo Djujic.
This effort, marked by legal manoeuvres and online harassment, has highlighted decades of ongoing tensions over historical narratives and the persistence of extremist ideologies in Balkan diaspora communities.
The Goldman Report, founded by retired Canadian historian and journalist David Goldman, is dedicated to exposing and documenting the nefarious activities of neo-Nazi and fascist groups worldwide.
In a series of articles published earlier this year, Goldman detailed the historical connections between the ultra-nationalist Serbian migrants in Australia and the Chetnik movement, a Serbian nationalist militia that collaborated with Axis powers during World War II.
The articles included evidence of glorification of Chetnik leaders and symbols, which have been widely condemned for their role in war crimes and Nazi collaborationist activities, as well as other more recent activities.
Goldman told the AHRC he wasn’t the only one making these assertions.
“The Australian pointed out in 2020, Serbian Chetnik groups in Australia were linked to Australian Nazis: “Another informer tells ASIO that Nikola Brkljac, a close associate of Momcilo Kuzmanovic, was a Chetnik fanatic who had his Australian passport confiscated. Some members of these families continue to be prominent Chetniks and have close links with other ultra--nationalist groups in Australia, the Nazi Party and Golden Dawn.”, he noted.
Thia evidence comes from SCOFA members own Facebook pages, including hundreds of pictures of Serbian Nationalists colluding with neo-Nazi groups in Australia.
These prompted a vehement response from SCOFA, which positions itself as a cultural and historical umbrella organization dedicated to preserving Serbian heritage within Australia, and who labelled Goldman's reporting as being "slanderous", “defamatory”, and an "attack on Serbian identity."
In an attempt to try and suppress the US-based website, SCOFA resorted to legal action via the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
It filed a series of what would ultimately be seen as vexatious complaints, claiming that the articles caused significant harm to the Serbian community’s standing. However, the legal actions were met with robust defences invoking free speech protections and the importance of historical accuracy in journalism.
The complaint was eventually dismissed by the AHRC, part of the Australian Attorney-General’s department that was set up 30 years ago by the Australian government as a support mechanism for refugees in their legal battles to stay in Australia.
However, why it was reacting to people and organisations attached to various far Right groups glorifying World War Two Nazi collaborators remains a mystery to this day.
Goldman says this whole process has reaffirmed his confidence in the legal process and reignited his commitment to his work. "These attempts to silence us are a testament to the impact of our reporting," he said. "We will continue to expose the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be for some."
As he told the AHRC, “Nowhere in my writings have I ever said that ‘all Serbs are Nazi collaborators’ but rather that one particular Serbian military unit – the Chetniks, was known by most, in not all reputable historians as being ‘Nazi collaborators.”
Furthermore, in his response to the legal threat: “Your petitioners may want to claim that by quoting settled history, their entire community is being vilified, which is the same as to say: ‘Nazis were Germans’ and then claim it is an affront to the entire German race.”
Serbian Chetniks Australia (SCA) members at ANZAC Day (Allied) march, 2016, Sydney, Australia.
In addition to legal action, Chetnik supporters launched a coordinated online harassment campaign against The Goldman Report. The website faced multiple cyberattacks, including Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attempts aimed at disrupting its operations. Social media platforms saw a surge of hostile messages directed at Goldman and his team, often laced with threats, and hate speech.
Despite these efforts, The Goldman Report remained resilient. The website's technical team implemented enhanced security measures, and supportive readers and organizations rallied behind Goldman, providing both moral and financial support.
With recent global events heightening tensions, civil liberties groups in the US have condemned such harassment campaigns, emphasizing the critical role of independent journalism in holding power to account.
Several legal experts observing the case noted the broader implications for free speech and the challenges faced by journalists in the digital age.
As Dr. Emily Hughes, professor of media law at The University of Iowa has noted, "The ability to speak truth to power is fundamental to democratic societies, and any attempts to undermine this must be vigorously opposed."
The situation has brought renewed attention to the suppressed Nazi legacy of the Chetniks in the West, and the ways in which history is remembered and contested within a range of Balkan diaspora communities.
For many, the actions of SCOFA serve as a stark reminder of the enduring influence of extremist ideologies and the importance of confronting and understanding historical truths.
Goldman remains undeterred. "Our mission is to shine a light on darkness, and no amount of intimidation will deter us from that path," he said.
"The support we've received from around the world has been overwhelming and humbling. It strengthens our resolve to continue this important work."
“In the face of adversity, The Goldman Report stands as a testament to the power of independent journalism and the enduring struggle against hate and misinformation.”
