Laws banning the Nazi salute and the display or sale of symbols associated with terrorist groups came into effect in Australia on Monday, as the government responds to a rise in anti-Semitic incidents following the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza.
The law penalizes the public performance of the Nazi salute or the display of the Nazi swastika or the double lightning bolt associated with the paramilitary group SS with imprisonment for up to 12 months. Similarly, it prohibits the sale and trade of these symbols. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus stated in a release that the legislation sends a clear message that there is no place in Australia for those who glorify the Holocaust or acts of terrorism. He added: "This is the first law of its kind and will ensure that no one in Australia is allowed to glorify or benefit from the acts and symbols that celebrate Nazis and their evil ideology."
The law was introduced in June, passed in December, and gained renewed significance amid a surge in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia following the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas, which Israeli officials say resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 240 hostages. The new law also bans the public display or trade of symbols linked to banned terrorist organizations, such as ISIS, Hamas, or the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The law provides exceptions for academic, educational, or artistic use.
