Two Men Accused of Showing Nazi Symbols at Pro-Palestine Protests

October 7, 2024 TruthUSA

The rally proceeded as planned despite concerns about the timing on the eve of the anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

New South Wales (NSW) Police have charged two individuals for allegedly exhibiting Nazi symbols during a pro-Palestinian protest in Sydney. The event took place on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

During a patrol at Hyde Park on Oct. 6 at 2.45 p.m., police officers from the Operation Shelter team observed a man putting up a poster of the Nazi swastika. They spoke to the 56-year-old man, removed the poster, and charged him with “knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol without excuse.” He was issued an attendance notice to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Nov. 21.

On the same day, another person was arrested at around 1.20 p.m. for displaying a Nazi swastika symbol overlaid on an Israeli flag with the words, “Stop Nazi Israel.”

According to a statement released by the Police on Oct. 8, the individual charged earlier was taken to Surry Hills Police station and was granted conditional bail to appear in court on Oct. 24, 2024, for knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol publicly without a “reasonable excuse.”

NSW Police stated that investigations under Operation Shelter are ongoing, with the operation initiated in October 2023 to enhance community safety in response to protest activities.

Hamas initiated an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, resulting in the death of 1,200 people and the capture of 250 hostages. Subsequently, approximately 42,000 individuals have died in Gaza in response to Israeli Defence Forces actions, as reported by the Hamas-controlled Palestinian authority.

Rallies Costing Taxpayers

NSW Premier Chris Minns raised concerns about the significant financial burden of policing pro-Palestine rallies in an interview on Oct. 8. He highlighted that these marches have cost taxpayers over $5 million (US$3.4 million), describing it as a substantial drain on public resources.

Minns expressed his belief that funds spent on these rallies could be redirected to essential services such as roadside breath testing, domestic violence investigations, and combating knife crimes. He emphasized the need for police to be able to refuse march requests due to stretched resources.

Public display of Nazi symbols in NSW was prohibited in 2022 when the Crimes Amendment (Prohibition on Display of Nazi Symbols) legislation was passed by the state’s parliament under the former Liberal-National government.

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