Airport worker to face trial over alleged Nazi salutes at Jewish children

A Melbourne airport worker accused of directing Nazi salutes at Jewish schoolchildren inside Melbourne Airport has pleaded not guilty and will fight the charges.

Oscar Diaz Ysuiza, 24, from Greenvale in Melbourne’s north, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with two counts of performing a Nazi salute in a public place in circumstances likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate.

Police allege Ysuiza made three Nazi salutes towards a group of Jewish school-aged children near the airport’s departures terminal on February 2.

The incident was reported to the Australian Federal Police after Ysuiza allegedly left the airport.

The court heard Ysuiza held an Aviation Security Identification Card at the time.

Magistrate Donna Bakos was told CCTV allegedly showed Ysuiza standing with five friends when the gestures were made. One of the men allegedly appeared to signal for him to lower his arm.

Ysuiza’s lawyer argued the prosecution did not have evidence that the alleged conduct met the legal threshold of being likely to offend or humiliate a reasonable person.

The magistrate rejected that argument, allowing the case to proceed to a contested hearing.

Victoria banned the public display of Nazi symbols in 2022 and later expanded the law to outlaw the Nazi salute. The reforms followed rising concern about neo-Nazi activity and antisemitic intimidation.

The case comes amid heightened anxiety in the Jewish community after a surge in antisemitic incidents since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and the December 14, 2025 Bondi Beach terror attack, in which 15 people were killed at a Chanukah gathering.

The matter will return to court for a contested hearing.