The Australian state of Victoria has become the first province in the country to ban the display of the Nazi swastika in public places.
Under a law passed on Tuesday, anyone who intentionally displays the Nazi swastika faces up to a year in prison and/or a fine of A$22,000 (£12,300).
The symbol will still be able to be shown in appropriate contexts, due to its historical and cultural importance, and it is specifically differentiated from versions of the swastika used by other faith groups.
Attorney-General of the state of Victoria, Jaclyn Symes, said in a statement that the symbol "does nothing but cause further pain and division".
"It's a proud moment to see these important laws pass with bipartisan support – I'm glad to see that no matter what side of politics, we can agree that this vile behaviour will not be tolerated in Victoria.”
In our state, nobody has the right to spread racism, hate or antisemitism.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 21, 2022
Ever.
That's why last night we passed legislation to ban the Nazi symbol.
And now, it's the law.
(Above: Dan Andrews, Premier of the State of Victoria, welcomes the ban)
Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission (an organisation that fights antisemitism in Australia) welcomed the ban, which is something that he has spent five years campaigning for: "I think people often forget what the Nazi swastika represents. First of all, it represents the final solution. That is the extermination of six million Jews in gas chambers in open fields.
“It represents the desire by the Third Reich to eliminate every single Jewish person on earth. It is the ultimate emblem of evil.
“It represents mothers being led with their babies into the gas chambers in Auschwitz — of babies' skulls being crushed, of entire families being executed in towns and in open fields.
"There is no more pure evil symbol than the Nazi swastika. And for a Jewish person, whether they are a Holocaust survivor, or their children or their grandchildren, being confronted with this emblem of absolute evil, is as threatening as being confronted by a gun."
He said that the passing of the bill was “triumphant and uplifting”.
Faith groups have also welcomed the move, as it specifically singles out the Nazi swastika – the Hakenkreuz – and differentiates it from the ancient Indian swastika that has been used by Hindus for over 2,000 years.
Vice President of the Hindu Council of Australia Surinder Jain told SBS news that he thinks the ban will help fight public confusion around the difference: "This bill makes a clear distinction between the two. It does the right thing by banning the hate symbol. And it does the right thing by exempting sacred symbols used by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains."
The law will take effect in six months time.
