A 43-year-old British man is facing deportation from Australia after authorities cancelled his visa following allegations he posted Nazi imagery online and incited violence against Jewish people.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke did not mince his words as he confirmed deportation proceedings were underway.
"He came here to hate - he doesn't get to stay," Mr Burke declared to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Wednesday.
The minister emphasised that visa holders are guests in the country, adding: "But if someone comes here for the purposes of hate, they can leave."
A 43-year-old British man is facing deportation from Australia
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The man is currently being held in immigration detention in Brisbane.
Federal police have charged the Briton with three separate offences related to displaying prohibited Nazi symbols, alongside a fourth charge for using the internet to cause offence.
According to authorities, he allegedly utilised social media to share swastika imagery, promote pro-Nazi ideology and call for violence targeting the Jewish community.
The 43-year-old is scheduled to appear before a court on January 7 to face these charges.
A police raid uncovered mobile phones, weapons and multiple swords bearing swastika symbols
|AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE
Police are said to be considering whether to postpone his deportation to allow the legal proceedings to take place.
The Briton retains the right to appeal against the visa cancellation and may choose to depart Australia voluntarily rather than await forced removal.
Australian Federal Police launched their investigation in October after identifying allegedly offensive posts on social media.
When the platform blocked his account, the man is believed to have created a replacement with a similar name and continued sharing harmful material, according to police.
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Mr Burke has previously taken similar action against foreign nationals engaged in extremist activity
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Officers executed a search warrant at his residence in Caboolture, located on Brisbane's outskirts, in late November.
The raid uncovered mobile phones, weapons and multiple swords bearing swastika symbols.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt stated: "We want to ensure these symbols are not being used to fracture social cohesion."
He added that authorities would "act swiftly to disrupt the behaviour, prosecute those involved and protect the dignity, safety and cohesion of our diverse community".
Australia strengthened its hate crime legislation earlier this year, introducing mandatory prison sentences for those who display hate symbols or perform the Nazi salute.
The crackdown comes amid rising concerns about antisemitism across the country.
Mr Burke has previously taken similar action against foreign nationals engaged in extremist activity.
Last month, the minister revoked the visa of Matthew Gruter, a South African citizen who had lived in Australia since 2022, after he was observed attending a neo-Nazi demonstration outside the New South Wales parliament.
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