A British national in Australia has had his visa cancelled and faces deportation for allegedly displaying Nazi symbols.
The 43-year-old man living in Queensland was arrested and charged earlier this month, after allegedly using a social media account to post the Nazi swastika, promote pro-Nazi ideology and call for violence towards the Jewish community.
The man was taken into immigration detention this week in Brisbane and is due to face court in January. Police have been cracking down on the use of prohibited symbols amid a recent rise in antisemitism and right-wing extremism.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said: He came here to hate - he doesn't get to stay.
Burke emphasized that coming to Australia on a visa means one is a guest, stating: If you come to Australia on a visa, you are here as a guest.
Last month, Burke also revoked the visa of Matthew Gruter, a South African national who has been living in Australia since 2022, after he was seen attending a neo-Nazi rally outside the New South Wales parliament.
Like Gruter, the British man can appeal his visa revocation. He may choose to leave Australia voluntarily or wait for his deportation to the UK. However, it is understood that police are considering delaying his deportation to allow him to face court next month.
Earlier this year, Australia tightened its hate crime laws, introducing mandatory jail terms for displaying hate symbols or performing a Nazi salute.
Police began investigating the British man in October over alleged posts on X, a social media platform that subsequently blocked his account. The man re-established a similar account to continue posting offensive content.
Authorities searched his home in Caboolture, on the outskirts of Brisbane, in late November and seized phones, weapons, and several swords with swastika symbols. He now faces charges for displaying banned Nazi symbols and for using the internet to cause offense.
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt asserted the importance of protecting social cohesion, stating: We want to ensure these symbols are not being used to fracture social cohesion. If we identify instances where this is happening, we will act swiftly to disrupt the behaviour, prosecute those involved and protect the dignity, safety and cohesion of our diverse community.
