The Australian government has cancelled the visa of a British man charged with displaying prohibited Nazi symbols, after police seized swords bearing swastikas from his Queensland home. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the cancellation on Wednesday, stating that the government seeks his deportation.
The 43-year-old UK citizen living in Queensland was charged earlier this month with three counts of displaying prohibited Nazi symbols and one count of using a carriage service to menace. The Australian Federal Police alleged he used social media platform X to promote pro-Nazi ideology and hatred towards the Jewish community, and to advocate violence.
During a search of his Caboolture home on 21 November, police found weapons including swords with swastika markings, axes, and knives. The AFP said the man posted offensive content between 10 October and 5 November, and created a second account after X blocked his original handle.
Burke told the ABC, “I said some time ago that as far as freedom of speech was concerned, I had no time for hatred when it came to cancelling visas. If you come to Australia on a visa, you are here as a guest.” He added that proposed hate speech legislation would strengthen his powers to cancel visas on the basis of incitement of hate alone.
The cancellation follows the recent revocation of South African Matthew Gruter’s visa after his attendance at a neo-Nazi rally. Burke has also signalled plans to list hate groups similarly to terror organisations.
