NSW Contemplates Banning Nazi Salutes After White Supremacist Rally
Approximately 50 individuals attended a white supremacist rally in Corowa, prompting calls for NSW to follow other states in explicitly outlawing the Nazi salute.
New South Wales (NSW) is deliberating on amending the law to specifically criminalize the Nazi salute after an estimated 50 people participated in a white supremacist rally featuring a neo-Nazi banner in the small town of Corowa along the Murray River on the weekend.
While it is already illegal to knowingly display a Nazi symbol in public without a valid reason, the state currently does not have a direct ban on the Nazi salute.
During the rally, a group of individuals wearing balaclavas congregated under a sign reading “white man fight back,” with a video circulating online showing their leader suggesting that white individuals were being marginalized in their communities.
Premier Chris Minns expressed his belief that existing laws cover the Nazi salute, but he pledged to reinforce them if necessary, possibly by taking inspiration from other states’ legislation.
Minns stated, “If there’s any ambiguity, we will clarify it because I’m not going to tolerate racism, anti-Semitism, or any form of remembrance of this dark period in history,” condemning the behavior of those at the rally as “utterly repugnant.”
The event did not result in any arrests, but NSW authorities confirmed ongoing investigations.
‘No Place in Corowa’: Ley
Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, whose district encompasses Corowa, emphasized that should individuals at the rally brandish Nazi symbols or perform the salute, they should face charges.
Ley remarked, “I was informed that they crossed the border because it was easier to express themselves and display such items… in NSW,” urging state governments to take a firm stance against such conduct.
She commended the locals for unequivocally denouncing racism in Corowa, emphasizing that the hateful actions witnessed do not reflect the majority of NSW residents committed to anti-racism.
Ley expressed her dismay at the unwelcome introduction of hatred into her community, particularly affecting families who were simply enjoying their weekend prior to the Corowa show. She noted a trend of using regional towns to provoke and shock, acknowledging recent shutdowns of similar activities in urban centers.
As of January, federal laws have prohibited the public display of symbols like the swastika and the performance of the Nazi salute, following similar legislation in Victoria and Tasmania.
In a separate incident in October, Jacob Hersant, 25, became the first person in Victoria to be convicted of intentionally performing the Nazi salute.
Additionally, in June, three men in NSW were convicted of displaying a Nazi symbol without a legitimate excuse after making the salute at a soccer match, a ruling which they are appealing.
Moreover, three men pleaded not guilty in a Sydney court in September over allegations of performing Nazi salutes outside an inner-city Jewish museum in 2023.
