Australian lawmakers have banned doing the Nazi Salute in public. They have also banned the public sale or display of Nazi symbols such as the swastika. The new laws also make the act of praising acts of terrorism a criminal offense. The legislation went into effect yesterday.
The crime of publicly performing a Nazi salute or displaying a Nazi swastika, according to Reuters.
The laws were introduced following the rise of antisemitism in the country following the Isreal-Hamas War in Gaza. Data released in December showed a total of 662 antisemitic incidents reported in Australia from October to December. In comparison, there were 495 antisemitic incidents in the entire 12-month period from September 30, 2022, to September 30, 2023.
In October, a video went viral that showed a small group of people appearing to chant antisemitic slogans at a pro-Palestine demonstration outside the Sydney Opera House. Another video, posted on October 8, showed a group launching flares and chanting antisemitic refrains such as “Gas the Jews” and others.
