The Victorian government has announced plans to ban the Nazi salute within months, following its use by neo-Nazis at a protest outside Parliament House over the weekend. Attorney General Jaclyn Symes described the behaviour as 'disgusting' and said the government would take 'active steps' to outlaw the gesture.
The protest, which involved anti-transgender activists clashing with pro-transgender rights supporters, saw a group of about 30 men from the Nationalist Socialist Network marching along Spring Street while repeatedly performing the Nazi salute. Symes stated that the symbol is being used to incite hatred and as a recruitment tool for far-right groups.
Opposition leader John Pesutto indicated that the Coalition is open to providing bipartisan support for the reform. Experts have weighed in on the proposed ban, with Dr Josh Roose from Deakin University noting that while other gestures like the 'OK symbol' are used by far-right groups, the Nazi salute carries a direct lineage to the Holocaust and holds greater symbolic power.
Dr Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, backed the reform but acknowledged its complexity, suggesting that exemptions for artistic or educational settings may be necessary. Dr Andre Oboler from the Online Hate Prevention Institute called for legislation targeting Nazi glorification rather than specific symbols, warning that far-right groups may simply adopt new gestures if the salute is banned.
The event has also sparked turmoil within the Liberal Party, with Pesutto seeking to expel MP Moira Deeming due to her involvement in the protest. The government previously banned the public display of the Nazi swastika last year, and Queensland has also vowed to make similar displays illegal.
