A South African neo-Nazi, whose Australian work visa was cancelled following his participation in an antisemitic rally, has angrily confronted the media upon his forced return to Johannesburg with his family.
Confrontation at the Airport
Matthew Gruter, his wife Nathalie Faydherbe, and their five-week-old daughter landed at Tambo International Airport on Thursday afternoon. Footage captured by The Daily Mail showed the family, laden with luggage, becoming visibly irate at the presence of photographers and camera crews.
Gruter physically pushed a cameraman, stating "That's enough now," before directing a series of bizarre questions at the media. "Are you trying to get us attacked and murdered in South Africa?" he demanded. "Is that what you're trying to do? You're trying to label us so we get attacked and murdered?"
He went on to lament his deportation, claiming, "all those rapists get to stay" in Australia—a reference to foreign criminals who cannot be deported on humanitarian grounds, a situation that did not apply to Gruter himself.
The Rally That Led to Deportation
The deportation stems from an incident on November 8, when Gruter was one of approximately 60 members of the far-right National Socialist Network (NSN) who gathered outside the New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney. The group openly yelled Nazi slogans and displayed a banner reading 'Abolish the Jewish Lobby'.
In response, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the cancellation of Gruter's visa. Burke defended the decision, stating, "We've got a really strong principle here: If you're on a visa, you're a guest in Australia. If someone turns up for the purposes of just abusing people and wrecking the place and damaging the cohesion, you can ask them to leave."
Following the visa cancellation, Gruter was detained at the Villawood Detention Centre and given the choice to leave voluntarily or appeal. He chose to depart.
Political Fallout and Legal Changes
The November rally has prompted direct political consequences. The NSW government has announced plans to tighten protest laws to clamp down on neo-Nazi demonstrations. Proposed changes to the Crimes Act 1900 would grant police broader powers to arrest individuals whose behaviour indicates support for Nazi ideology.
This was not the NSN's first demonstration; the group also rallied outside NSW parliament in June under a banner stating 'End Immigration', and has staged various protests in Australian cities over the past two years. The fringe group is attempting to form a registered political party, which would require 750 members—a move NSW Premier Chris Minns has questioned given the public association it would require with neo-Nazism.
Despite the offensive nature of the November protest, it was legally approved by police after organisers lodged an application, and no offences were reported on the day.
