South African man’s visa cancelled after neo-Nazi rally outside NSW parliament | New South Wales

A South African man who took part in an anti-Semitic lobby protest organized by a neo-Nazi group outside the New South Wales state parliament has had his visa canceled and will have to leave Australia.

Home secretary Tony Burke canceled the visa of South African citizen Matthew Gruter on Monday, more than a week after the demonstration.

The group, which describes themselves as “White Australia, formerly the National Socialist Network” in their Form 1 application, stood in formation on Macquarie Street, carrying a large banner reading “Abolish the Jewish Lobby”.

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The band posted the contents of the promotional show on November 8 on social media.

Officials at the Home Office were preparing recommendations for Burke over the weekend. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Sunday.

In a statement on Monday, Burke said: “If you have a visa, you are a guest. If you are a citizen, you are a full member of the Australian family.”

“As in any home, if a guest comes and shows hatred and destroys the house, they can be told that it is time to go home.”

The demonstration, which lasted less than 20 minutes in total, was observed by NSW police and was legally permitted. Police later confirmed that the group had warned authorities of their intention to hold a public meeting, but this was not opposed by police.

The demonstrators in the group were wearing black uniforms; some had emblems sewn onto their jackets. Some hid their faces with hats and sunglasses, but many appeared unconcerned about being filmed and identified.

Gruter is a civil engineer living in Australia with his wife, a social media influencer, the Herald reported. Gruter will have to leave the country.

Burke has previously moved to block visas for foreign nationals involved in “inciting discord” in Australia. Rapper Kanye West and far-right podcaster Candace Owens have been blocked from visiting Australia under the rules.

NSW police commissioner Mal Lanyon said he was unaware the demonstration was allowed under the state’s Form 1 process. A “communication error” was responsible for not notifying the state government in advance.

NSW premier Chris Minns said the event should not have been sanctioned and announced a review into why police had not opposed it as they had previously done at high-profile pro-Palestinian protests in Sydney.

The state government will introduce new laws restricting protests outside places of worship after the state supreme court rejected a law giving police broader powers against protesters.

Despite controversy, the rally was allowed to continue new lawsThe law, which came into force in August, makes it a crime to deliberately incite hatred against people because of their race, nationality or ethno-religious origin.