While most states have already banned Nazi symbols, federal law would go further and ban the sale of such items.
The Australian government plans to ban swastikas and other Nazi symbols across the country as far-right activity grows.
– said Australian Attorney General Mark Dreyfuss on Thursday.
“While most Australian states have already banned such Nazi symbols, federal law will go further and ban the trade in such symbols.”
Details of the Attorney General.
“There has been an increase in violent far-right activity. We think the time has come for a federal law, which I will be presenting to parliament next week.”
Dreyfuss stated, however, that displaying icons for religious, educational, or artistic purposes, as well as followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, would be an exception to the ban.
The number of neo-Nazis is small, said Dreyfuss, who is Jewish, but that the main domestic spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Agency, has raised concerns about its activities over the past three years.
“It’s a very small number of people. I hope it gets smaller and smaller and eventually disappears.”
Dreyfuss explained.
According to the new law, people who display Nazi symbols can be imprisoned for up to a year.