Australia to deport British man accused of displaying Nazi symbol

A British citizen in Australia has had his visa canceled and faces deportation after allegedly displaying a Nazi symbol.

The 43-year-old man, who lives in Queensland, was arrested and charged earlier this month after he allegedly used his social media accounts to post swastikas, promote pro-Nazi ideology and call for violence against the Jewish community.

The man was taken into immigration detention in Brisbane this week and will appear in court in January. Police have been cracking down on the use of banned symbols amid a recent rise in anti-Semitism and right-wing extremism.

Home Secretary Tony Burke said: “He’s here to hate – he can’t stay.”

“If you come to Australia on a visa, you come here as a guest,” Burke told the ABC on Wednesday.

Last month, Burke also Revoking Matthew Groote’s visaThe South African national has lived in Australia since 2022 after he was seen attending a neo-Nazi rally in front of the New South Wales state parliament.

Like Groot, the British man can appeal against his visa revocation. He can leave Australia voluntarily or await deportation to his home country.

It is understood police are assessing whether to delay the man’s deportation to allow him to appear in court next month.

The BBC has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.

Earlier this year, Australia tightens hate crime lawsintroduced mandatory jail terms for displaying hate symbols or giving Nazi salutes.

Police began investigating the British man’s alleged posts on X in October. Police said the social media platform blocked his account, prompting him to create a new account with a similar name and continue to post offensive and harmful content on the account.

In late November, authorities raided the man’s home in the Brisbane suburb of Caboolture and seized mobile phones, weapons and several swords bearing swastikas.

He was charged with three counts of displaying a banned Nazi symbol and one count of using the Internet to incite a crime.

“We want to ensure these symbols are not used to undermine social cohesion,” Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said earlier this month.

“If we find this is happening, we will act quickly to stop it, prosecute those involved, and protect the dignity, safety and cohesion of our diverse communities.”