A South African man who was seen attending a neo-Nazi rally outside an Australian state parliament has had his visa revoked.
Matthew Gruter, who has been in Australia since 2022, took part in an anti-Jewish protest outside the New South Wales parliament organized by the National Socialist Network earlier this month.
He was seen among around 60 men clad in black, who held up a banner that said “Abolish the Jewish lobby”, Australian media reports.
Australia has seen a recent rise in right-wing extremism. Its government made the Nazi salute punishable by a mandatory prison term earlier this year.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the cancellation of Mr Gruter’s visa, saying: “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.”
Mr Gruter moved to Australia with his wife and works as a civil engineer, according to ABC News.
The National Socialist Network, which organised the rally on 8 November, is a well-known neo-Nazi group in Australia. Mr Gruter is a senior member of the group in New South Wales, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Protesters repeatedly chanted “blood and honour”, a slogan associated with the Hitler Youth, according to ABC News.
It lasted less than 20 minutes and was legally authorised, the Guardian reports.
By BBC News
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