A man has been directed to move on by police after he was seen wearing a swastika outside the Bondi Royal Commission in Sydney.
Incident Details
Officers from Operation Shelter were patrolling the inquiry proceedings on Wednesday morning when they noticed a man loitering near the building displaying an offensive slogan on his T-shirt. The shirt featured a swastika superimposed over the Israeli flag along with the words: 'anti-Semitism, proud to be accused. Speak up!'
A police spokesperson confirmed that the 68-year-old man was issued a move-on direction, which he complied with. 'Inquiries are ongoing in respect of the alleged offensive conduct,' the spokesperson added.
Man's Response
When approached by journalists, the man claimed he was an anti-Israel war protester and described his outfit choice as a 'coincidence.' He stated, 'I have business in town and I wear this all the time.' Upon being told that wearing a swastika is illegal, he replied, 'Is this a swastika?'
He further explained, 'Social media is the only form of protest that I can do. We're talking about the genocide in Gaza and the six wars that Israel has performed around the world. I can't sit by and watch this happen.'
The man also claimed he was unaware that the Royal Commission was taking place inside, asking, 'Is there a Royal Commission? I'm sorry, I'm just enjoying a cup of coffee in the streets of Sydney.'
More details are expected to follow.
