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Govt may amend laws after neo-nazis salutes

The Victorian government says it may consider widening legislation that bans the display of the swastika after a group performed Nazi salutes on the steps of Parliament House during a protest on Saturday.

British anti-trans rights campaigner Kellie-jay Keen-minshull had organised to speak to her supporters at Parliament House on Saturday afternoon, prompting a counter-demonstration protesting against her views.

About 30 people from neo-nazi group the National Socialist Network, dressed in black and most with their faces covered, attended the protests on Spring Street supporting Keen-minshull, repeatedly performing the salute and holding up a sign using offensive anti-trans language.

On Saturday night, a state government spokeswoman described the behaviour from the neo-nazi group as a cowardly act of hatred and intimidation.

‘‘Not only have Victorians made it clear they have zero tolerance for these disgraceful beliefs, we’ve made it clear in law with the ban of the Nazi hate symbol,’’ she said.

‘‘We will continue to monitor the use of hate symbols and may consider the inclusion of additional symbols to the legislation at a later stage.’’

Last year, the Andrews government outlawed the Nazi swastika, and became the first jurisdiction in Australia to do so. Anyone who intentionally displays the Nazi symbol in public faces a year in prison or a A$22,000 (NZ$23,500) fine.

The ban acted on the recommendation from a cross-party parliamentary inquiry, which called for the display of Nazi symbology to be criminalised.

Earlier this year, AttorneyGeneral Jaclyn Symes said the government was also considering banning the Nazi salute after a series of recent incidents where white supremacists performed the gesture in public spaces, including at a ceremony for Indigenous Australians on January 26.

The salute is already restricted in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland and Sweden.

World

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2023-03-20T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-20T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281848647840846

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