Former Neighbours actor Damien Richardson has avoided jail after being convicted for performing a Nazi salute at a National Workers’ Alliance (NWA) event in 2024, but has been ordered to visit the Melbourne Holocaust Museum in Elsternwick.
The 57-year-old, who played Gary Canning on the Australian soap for six years between 2014 and 2020, made the gesture on stage at the event, which was streamed on Facebook. The salute took place a year after it was made illegal in Victoria, Australia.
Court orders and community service
Judge Kate Hawkins told him that “whether or not you hold any sympathy with Nazi ideology is irrelevant.” She added: “It’s important to send a clear message to the community that the performance of the gesture is offensive, harmful and against the law.”
Richardson avoided jail but was ordered to carry out a year-long community corrections stint and 100 hours of unpaid community work, as well as visiting the Holocaust museum.
Background and claims of satire
The actor, who set up the NWA group, described the salute as a “satirical gesture” and said it was political satire. “I have been convicted of making a gesture, which is political satire, and this is the state of Victoria in 2026,” he said as he arrived at court.
During the Facebook stream, Richardson told the crowd: “There is a war on men.” He added: “I thought it was a war on Western tradition, Western values… and actually, it’s an anti-white-male-agenda.” He then made the gesture before saying: “Am I gonna be fined now? I’m gonna go to jail for five years? Richardson did the salute?”
He continued: “I mean, really? I mean, this is absurd. This is insane. It’s crazy. It’s so crazy you can’t believe it’s even happening.”
Career and activism
Richardson quit acting during the COVID-19 pandemic to launch a campaign against vaccinations, and was part of a protest in Melbourne against them in 2021. He later made a failed bid to be an independent candidate on the Australian Senate.
As he left court, Richardson said: “It’s a satirical comment, so that’s really all I’ve got to say.”
