Victoria Police is warning action will be taken against anyone who uses the Nazi salute in public, now that the gesture has become illegal.
The state government passed legislation on Tuesday to outlaw the racially offensive gesture.
Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson said the update to the Summary Offences Act received royal assent on Friday, meaning that as of Saturday, it had come into effect.
The penalty for doing a Nazi salute in public would incur a maximum of 120 penalty units “which amounts to about $23,000 fine and up to 12 months imprisonment,” he said.
His comments follow a late night neo-Nazi demonstration held on the steps of Flinders Street Station a week ago, which was held hours after a rally by Melbourne’s Jewish community in response to the Hamas terrorist attack.
A small group of about 25 members of the National Socialist Network performed Nazi salutes and displayed an anti-Semitic sign. The following day, a statement from police said officers had moved the demonstrators on.
The incident is now under police investigation.
“If any member of public, including the National Socialist Network attend any of those rallies and undertake a Nazi salute then police will be pursuing those individuals to ensure that we enforce the new law … hold them to account, charge them and bring them before a court of law,” Deputy Commissioner Paterson said.
“I’m putting people on notice that if that was to occur, as of today … police will be taking action against those individuals.”
There have been other instances of neo-Nazis demonstrating in the centre of Melbourne this year, which prompted the Victorian government to move towards outlawing the display of hate symbols.
The Victorian government outlawed the Nazi Hakenkreuz (the Nazi symbol) last year.
“I do know that these Nazi salutes have been present at a number of events recently in the city, and it’s been very difficult for police to manage both a protest and these events occurring,” Deputy Commissioner Paterson said.
“Our main aim at a protest is to make sure that there are no breaches of the peace.”
Reassuring local Jewish community
“In terms of our Jewish community here in Victoria, we know that they have concerns at the present time due to the conflict in the Middle East,” Deputy Commissioner Paterson said.
“We’ve been making sure that we get out and about in the Jewish community and provide a level of confidence to them around their safety … at schools, at synagogues and other Jewish facilities.
“I’ve personally met with a number of senior Jewish community members to give them assurance about the police activities in the state of Victoria.”
