Australia goes after Nazi symbols with stricter laws

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Australia is moving to ban public displays of Nazi symbols with stricter laws, the nation’s top law enforcement officer said Thursday.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the laws are "well-targeted and effective.”

"There is absolutely no place within Australia for symbols that glorify the horrors of the Holocaust,” he added.

Canberra's move comes few months after an incident in which the National Socialist Network, a far-right group, did the Nazi Sieg Heil salute during a demonstration on the steps of the Parliament in Victoria.

Dreyfus emphasized that the legislation was the outcome of careful consultations conducted with law enforcement agencies and individuals who have been victims of racial hatred.

"We are determined to put an end to the profiteering associated with the exhibition and sale of items that celebrate the Nazis and their abhorrent ideology,” he added.

In March, the ruling Labor party dismissed an attempt by the coalition to outlaw Nazi insignia. Instead, they opted to subject the proposal to a parliamentary inquiry, aiming to stem any unanticipated repercussions.