Australian Federal PoliceA British national in Australia has had his visa canceled and faces deportation for allegedly displaying Nazi symbols.
The 43-year-old Queensland man 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 against the Jewish community.
The man was taken into immigration custody this week in Brisbane and is due to appear in court in January. Police have cracked down on the use of banned symbols amid a recent rise in anti-Semitism and right-wing extremism.
“He came here to hate, he can’t stay,” said Home Secretary Tony Burke.
“If you come to Australia on a visa, you are here as a guest,” Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday.
Last month, Burke also revoked the visa of Matthew Gruter, a South African national living in Australia since 2022, after he was seen attending a neo-Nazi rally outside the New South Wales parliament.
Like Gruter, the Briton can appeal the revocation of his visa. He can leave Australia voluntarily or wait to be deported to his country of origin.
Police are understood to be considering whether to delay the man’s deportation so he can appear in court next month.
Earlier this year, Australia strengthened its hate crime laws, introducing mandatory prison sentences for displaying hate symbols or performing a Nazi salute.
Police began investigating the British man in October for alleged posts on X. The social media platform blocked his account, prompting him to create a new one with a similar name where he continued to post offensive and harmful content, police said.
Australian Federal PoliceAuthorities raided the man’s home in the Brisbane suburb of Caboolture in late November and seized phones, weapons and several swords bearing swastika symbols.
He was charged with three counts of displaying banned Nazi symbols and one count of using the internet for offensive purposes.
“We want to ensure that these symbols are not used to break down social cohesion,” Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Stephen Nutt said earlier this month.
“If we identify instances where this is occurring, we will act quickly to disrupt behavior, prosecute those involved, and protect the dignity, safety, and cohesion of our diverse community.”
