A South African man whose visa was cancelled after attending a neo-Nazi rally in Sydney has been detained by immigration agents and taken to Villawood detention centre. Matthew Gruter, a member of the group White Australia, formerly known as the National Socialist Network, was arrested in a pre-dawn raid on Tuesday.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended the decision to cancel Gruter's visa, stating: 'What could be a clearer example of someone showing they don’t care about cohesion in Australia, than turning up to a Nazi rally?' The rally, held outside the New South Wales state parliament, included chants of the Hitler Youth phrase 'blood and honour'.
Gruter's organisation has raised $20,000 for his legal fight, vowing to challenge the deportation 'via every possible angle'. However, Burke noted that Gruter's options for appeal are 'very limited' as the visa was cancelled by ministerial decision, though he could still appeal to the court system.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonno Duniam backed the decision, saying: 'There is no room in Australia for clowns like that who want to come here and preach hate – go back to where you came from, frankly.' Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong added that there is 'no place in Australia for those hateful views'.
United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet criticised the move, arguing for free speech: 'You may not like what he has to say but in a free country you should defend his right to say it.' Gruter remains in detention pending deportation.
