Call to prosecute hate crime in fight against extremism
State and federal governments need to test their anti-incitement laws in court in order to stop extremist groups from flaunting their racist ideology, the federal Nationals leader says.
Hate laws banning Nazi salutes and similar gestures will only put an end to them if people are actually charged, David Littleproud said on Sunday.
“There’s already anti-incitement laws that are in place and neither state or federal government have actually tested them in a court of law,” he told Nine’s Weekend Today show on Sunday.
“So I think it’s important we actually do follow through.”
Australians are lucky to live in a country where people are prepared to call these people out and contact police, because “this isn’t the message that society wants to hear”.
A supplied image shows a group of about 40 men seen wearing black balaclavas and brandishing Australian flags at Artarmon train station in Sydney, Friday, January 26, 2024. Passengers have been evacuated after a group of men wearing black balaclavas and brandishing Australian flags swarmed a Sydney train. (AAP Image/Supplied by Transport for NSW)
On Australia Day, police in Sydney took action against a group of about 60 hooded men, who were mostly wearing black masks and clothes.
Officers stopped the train they were travelling on at North Sydney station on Friday, thwarting their plans to march through the city.
Six people were arrested and taken to Chatswood Police Station and a further 55 men were fined for offensive behaviour.
Australian neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell was among those ordered to stay out of the Sydney CBD on public safety grounds.
The group later marched through northern Sydney, closely observed by police.NSW Premier Chris Minns condemned their behaviour as obnoxious and racist, while the Executive Council of Australian Jewry commended the swift police response.
“You are not welcome here,” Mr Minns said on Saturday, indicating he was open to strengthening laws on so-called white power salutes in addition to the state’s existing ban on Nazi symbolism.
“We’ve shown in the very recent past we’re prepared to act to keep the public safe and promote community harmony.”
The group also drew the ire of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said the head of Australia’s domestic spy agency had repeatedly warned of the rise of neo-Nazis and right-wing extremism.
“It has no place and it has rightly been condemned by all decent people,” Mr Albanese said.
Police broke up another neo-Nazi demonstration in Sydney on Sunday morning, the third consecutive day such a gathering has taken place on the city’s north shore.
NSW Police said about 30 men at Artarmon Reserve were served with a public safety order prohibiting them from entering further local government areas.
The group dispersed and there were no arrests, police said in a statement.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said: “It is shocking to see a gang of neo-Nazis roaming freely through our streets. The police were right to restrain them to prevent any possibility of violence. Ironically, they have much in common with the pro-Palestinian element that has latched onto Australia Day protests. They support fascism and violence. They want to destroy our country and they are obsessed with anti-Jewish conspiracies. This incident reminds us how fragile our social order is and the need for vigilance in the face of violent movements intent on spreading lies, hatred and fear.”
It comes as the federal government looks to introduce new religious discrimination laws in the coming months.
The proposal would seek to protect people from hate speech and vilification based on their faith.
Laws banning people from performing the Nazi salute in public or displaying symbols such as the swastika came into effect earlier in January.
The federal laws banning Nazi salutes came after similar state prohibitions on the gesture in Tasmania and Victoria.
The passage of the legislation came following a rise in anti-Semitism and the use of Nazi symbols by far-right groups.
He’s not too bad to have onside.
His a strong supporter of our veterans and that speaks volumes to me.