The Australian state of Victoria becomes the first in the country to ban Nazi swastikas

June 22 () –

The Australian state of Victoria, in the south of the country, has become the first in the country to ban the use of Nazi swastikas under a new law that could lead to prison sentences for those who display such symbols.

Victoria’s chief minister, Dan Andrews, has pointed out that “no one has the right to spread racism, hatred or anti-Semitism” and has clarified that the measure will also include the imposition of fines of up to 22,000 Australian dollars (about 14,000 euros).

Australia has seen an increase in anti-Semitic speech and incidents in recent years, although the state of Victoria already had regulations on hate speech, according to information from the ABC News television network.

These regulations, however, have been harshly criticized for their wide flexibility, which has led the population to demand a reform, especially after in 2020 a couple raised a flag with a swastika on their home.

State authorities have welcomed the new legislation “with pride”, while three other states have indicated that they will introduce similar measures. “The Nazi symbol glorifies one of the greatest hateful ideologies in history,” Victoria Attorney General Jaclyn Symes said.