In response to a rise in anti-Semitic and hate crimes, caused by the Israel-Hamas war, Australia has criminalized the Nazi salute and the display or sale of symbols associated with terror groups. The Anti-Nazi Salute Act took effect this week, prohibiting Nazi imagery and symbols. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus stated that it is now illegal to perform the Nazi salute or display Nazi hate symbols. The bill passed through parliament with unanimous support, sending a message that there is no room in Australia for acts and symbols that glorify the Holocaust and terrorist acts.
The legislation followed a surge in hate crimes, such as incidents involving neo-Nazis in Melbourne and offensive behavior outside a Jewish museum in Sydney. This led to the decision to expand the law to include the Nazi salute and symbols associated with terrorist organizations. The new law also criminalizes the public display or trade of symbols associated with groups like ISIL, Hamas, or the PKK. Australia’s spy agency has warned of a growing presence of far-right groups in the country, emphasizing the need for strong legislation to combat hate and extremism.