Seven Men Charged Over Nazi Salutes in Australia

A protester performs a Nazi salute at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne on Sept. 5, 2020 during an anti-lockdown rally William West/AFP via Getty Images

Seven men have been charged for allegedly performing a Nazi salute at a venue in Geelong, Victoria on Feb. 8.

The charges, imposed on Feb. 26, follow an investigation into an image circulating online that appeared to show a group of men of ages 19 to 25, making the banned gesture.

Under Victoria’s laws, publicly displaying Nazi symbols or gestures carries a maximum penalty of a $23,710 fine, 12 months in jail, or both.

Detectives from the Geelong Crime Investigation Unit reviewed CCTV footage from the Bell Park venue on Separation Street as part of their inquiries.

“There is absolutely no place in our society for anti-Semitic, racist or hate-based behaviour and such activity will not be tolerated,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said

They are scheduled to appear at Geelong Magistrates’ Court on May 6, 2025.

Rise in Nazi Salute Incidents

The Geelong arrests are part of a broader rise in Nazi salute incidents across Australia.

In January, a 54-year-old man appeared before a Sydney court after allegedly performing a Nazi salute in Balmain.

In November 2024, a 20-year-old man was arrested for making the gesture during a public event in Newtown.

In October, three construction workers were fined between $500 and $1,500 after performing Nazi salutes outside the Sydney Jewish Museum, claiming it was a joke.

Woman Charged Over Hijab Attacks

Amid a broader rise in hate-motivated incidents in the country, a 31-year-old woman was also arrested last week for allegedly attacking two women wearing hijabs.

The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard that Ealaf Al-Esawie and Kawthar Ali were targeted for wearing the Muslim headscarf at Epping Plaza in Melbourne on Feb. 13.

Ali, who is pregnant and was with her daughter, was allegedly dragged to the ground by her hijab. Shortly after, the accused allegedly slapped Al-Esawie and pushed her over.

Detective Acting Sergeant Leanne Parfett told the court the accused was already on four sets of bail at the time of the attacks, which were captured on security footage.

The woman has a history of similar offences, including a 2020 assault on another hijab-wearing woman at a medical centre.

Parfett further alleged that the accused had racially abused an Asian woman at a train station, though no charges were filed.

New Hate Crime Laws in Focus

The rising incidents of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia have prompted legal responses from both federal and state governments.

The Albanese government’s Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024, enacted on Feb. 6, applies nationwide and expands protections against hate crimes based on race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

The legislation introduces new offences for advocating violence and imposes mandatory minimum sentences.

In New South Wales, the state government has introduced its own hate crime legislation, which focuses on incitement to racial hatred and protecting places of worship.

Unlike federal law, it does not include mandatory minimum sentences but carries penalties of up to two years in prison and fines of up to $11,000.