A South African engineer with neo-Nazi affiliations is confronting immediate deportation from Australia after his participation in an anti-Semitic rally, leaving his wife and newborn daughter in a state of legal limbo.
Visa Cancellation and Detention
Matthew Gruter was among sixty demonstrators linked to the National Socialist Network who gathered outside NSW Parliament on November 9. The protest saw participants shouting Nazi slogans and displaying a large banner that read 'Abolish the Jewish Lobby'. In response, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed on Monday that he had cancelled Gruter's work visa, citing the incident. Hours later, in a pre-dawn raid on his north Sydney home, Australian Border Force officers took Gruter into custody.
Speaking from the Villawood Detention Centre, Gruter expressed deep concern for the welfare of his wife, Nathalie Faydherbe, and their one-month-old daughter. He stated that the Home Affairs office has not clarified his wife's visa status, which is now uncertain as she entered Australia as a partner on his now-cancelled visa. It is important to note that there is no suggestion Ms Faydherbe shares her husband's extremist views or has done anything to warrant her own visa removal.
A Family in Crisis
Gruter's primary fear is that his wife and infant could also be detained. "My concern is that if she is illegal, or becomes illegal, then she will also be at risk of being raided, handcuffed and dragged off to the detention centre with our newborn," he told the Daily Mail. He claims that Border Force officials have told him they "won't discuss the visa status of non-detainees with detainees".
The family's desire is to leave Australia together on the same flight, a prospect that now seems unlikely. Gruter criticised the authorities' approach, stating, "Splitting up the family and making my wife fly alone with the baby and all their luggage would be cruel and unreasonable." He revealed that ABF officials told him their "only priority in this situation is getting me out of the country ASAP", dealing with his family afterward.
Compounding the issue is the challenge of obtaining a passport for their one-month-old daughter from the South African High Commission in time for a joint departure. Gruter says the authorities have not committed to assisting with emergency travel documents on a feasible timeline.
Furthermore, the abrupt nature of his detention has left his wife, who is only five weeks postpartum, to single-handedly pack their entire home and arrange for their belongings to be shipped to South Africa. "She has been forced to because the ABF deemed it necessary to detain me within six hours of issuing my visa cancellation," Gruter said, arguing he should have been given a few days to assist his family before a voluntary departure.
Political Fallout and Legal Grounds
The rally has ignited a significant political firestorm in Australia. Minister Burke was unequivocal in his defence of the decision, stating, "If you are on a visa, you are a guest... If you're a citizen, you're a full member of the Australian family. Like with any household, if a guest turns up to show hatred and wreck the household, they can be told it's time to go home."
Under Australia's federal migration laws, a visa can be cancelled if the holder fails the 'good character' test. This includes vilifying a segment of the Australian community or inciting discord, grounds which clearly cover the actions at the protest. The Home Affairs website explicitly warns visa holders that cancellations can lead to abrupt deportation.
In the wake of the protest, NSW Premier Chris Minns branded the participants "pissants" and confirmed the government would aim to establish new laws to crack down on hate speech. The incident also exposed internal issues within the police force, with a communication error meaning some senior officers were unaware the protest was occurring.
Despite his anti-Jewish stance, an ironic detail emerged: Gruter has a Hebrew tattoo on his arm that reads 'gam ze yaavor', which translates to 'This too shall pass'.
A fundraising page set up for Gruter has garnered over $23,000 in donations, with some contributors leaving comments containing Nazi rhetoric. The National Socialist Network, which has staged several protests in recent years, is attempting to form a political party, though Premier Minns questioned whether they would find the 750 members needed, given it would require public association with neo-Nazism.
When contacted about Gruter's claims, an Australian Border Force spokesperson declined to comment on individual cases but reaffirmed the government's commitment to "protecting the Australian community from the risk of harm posed by non-citizens who engage in criminal conduct or behaviour of concern".
