Australia to deport British man charged with displaying Nazi symbols

A British citizen in Australia has had his visa canceled and faces deportation for allegedly carrying Nazi symbols.

The 43-year-old Queensland man was arrested and charged earlier this month for allegedly using a social media account to share a Nazi swastika, promote pro-Nazi ideology and call for violence against the Jewish community.

The man was detained in immigration custody in Brisbane this week and will appear in court in January. Police are taking precautions against the use of banned symbols due to the recent increase in anti-Semitism and right-wing extremism.

Home Secretary Tony Burke said: “He came here for hate, he can’t stay here.”

“If you come to Australia with a visa, you are here as a guest,” Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday. he said.

Last month, Burke also canceled the visa of South African citizen Matthew Gruter, 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 may appeal against the cancellation of his visa. He can leave Australia voluntarily or await deportation to his home country.

Police are understood to be considering whether to delay the man’s deportation so he can appear in court next month.

The BBC has contacted the UK Foreign Office for comment.

Earlier this year, Australia tightened its hate crime laws and introduced mandatory prison sentences for displaying hate symbols or making Nazi salutes.

Police began investigating the British man in October over alleged posts on X. Police said the social media platform blocked his account, causing him to open a new account with a similar name, and he continued to post offensive and harmful content.

Authorities searched the man’s home in Caboolture, on the outskirts of Brisbane, in late November and seized phones, guns and several swords bearing swastika symbols.

He was accused of three counts of displaying banned Nazi symbols and one count of using the internet for criminal purposes.

“We want to make sure these symbols are not used to disrupt social harmony,” Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said earlier this month. he said.

“If we identify instances where this is occurring, we will take swift action to disrupt this behavior, prosecute those involved, and protect the dignity, safety and harmony of our diverse community.”