This initiative comes after demonstrations by neo-Nazi groups in mid-May before events of the LGBTIQ+ collective
June 8 () –
The Australian Government will introduce a new law next week that will criminalize the online and public display and trade of Nazi symbology, such as swastikas, SS badges and other “hate symbols”.
“In Australia there is no place for symbols that glorify the horrors of the Holocaust. And we will not allow people to profit from the display and sale of items that celebrate the Nazis and their evil ideology,” reads an Australian government statement.
This bill, which is framed in a new anti-terrorism legislation, will exclude religious, academic, educational, artistic, literary, journalistic or scientific uses from the prohibition. Also, keep in mind that the swastika is a symbol with “spiritual meanings” for religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, or Jainism.
“As a responsible government, we have taken the time necessary to get this bill right. It is vital that this legislation is well targeted and effective. It is the product of careful consideration and consultation, including with law enforcement and with who are the object of this hatred,” the government reported.
The neo-Nazi movement has been gaining strength in Australia since the supremacist Reclaim Australia movement emerged in 2015, and this government initiative comes after demonstrations by these groups in mid-May at LGBTIQ+ events, according to the Australian newspaper ‘The Age’.
