Victorian neo-Nazi under police investigation after performing Nazi salute outside court

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Victoria's new laws banning the Nazi salute are being put to the test, just one week after coming into effect. Police are investigating a prominent neo-Nazi, after he allegedly performed the gesture on the steps of county court on Friday.

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00:00 Just minutes after being spared more jail time for an attack on six hikers, an unrepentant

00:07 Thomas Soule and Jacob Hersont wanted the last word.

00:11 Hail Hitler.

00:12 Hail Hitler. Oh, I nearly did it. It's illegal now, isn't it?

00:16 Laws banning the Nazi salute in Victoria were fast-tracked by the state's parliament last

00:20 week, meaning anyone who performs the offensive gesture now faces up to 12 months in prison

00:26 or a $23,000 fine.

00:28 The definition's very clear. It's anything that resembles a salute.

00:33 This is about intent and this bloke knew exactly what he was doing.

00:38 Hersont is the first person to be reported to police for allegedly breaching the laws

00:42 since they came into effect following a string of anti-Semitic incidents in Melbourne.

00:47 These unapologetic neo-Nazis are testing the new ban.

00:51 He and Soule pleaded guilty to a 2021 attack when a group of up to 25 far-right extremists

00:57 surrounded hikers and attacked their car in regional Victoria.

01:01 Yesterday a judge found the pair had good prospects for rehabilitation.

01:05 They thumbed their nose at the law and it's unacceptable. There needs to be consequences.

01:11 If this individual does not get charged, it will send the message that the law has no

01:17 value.

01:17 Our government has done its bit. We have banned the Nazi swastika and we have also banned

01:23 the Nazi salute, so this is now a matter for the police.

01:27 Police say they'll be taking a zero tolerance approach to people who breach Victoria's Nazi

01:32 salute laws.

01:33 But some say yesterday's incident raises questions about whether the legislation should go further

01:38 and ban far-right hate speech.

01:40 It's taking away a weapon in their arsenal.

01:43 This movement is dangerous, these are ticking time bombs and we have to make sure that this

01:48 evolving threat is taken seriously.

01:51 The salute is also banned in Tasmania and New South Wales.

01:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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