Australian Nazi Sympathizer Sentenced to Prison for Performing Outlawed Salute
A self-described Nazi has become the first person in Australia to be sentenced to prison for performing the outlawed Nazi salute, The Associated Press reports.
Jacob Hersant, 25, was ordered by a magistrate on Friday to spend one month behind bars for his actions.
Hersant was convicted last month in the Melbourne Magistrates Court for giving the straight-armed salute before news cameras outside the Victoria County Court on October 27, 2023. The gesture was outlawed nationwide just days prior to his offense.
Magistrate Brett Sonnet, in handing down the sentence, stated that Hersant’s actions were “appropriate for a prison sentence.” He highlighted Hersant’s membership in the National Socialist Network, an organization known for promoting white supremacy, immigration deportation, and far-right ideologies. Sonnet also noted that Hersant, while performing the salute, praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and declared “Australia for the white man.”
Despite the sentence, Hersant was released on bail after his lawyer successfully lodged an appeal against the conviction and sentence. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 12 months in prison and a $16,025 fine.
Hersant’s legal team had argued that his comments and salute were protected under an implied constitutional freedom of political communication. However, the court rejected this argument.
This conviction follows similar cases where individuals were fined for performing the Nazi salute. In June, three men were found guilty of giving the salute at a Sydney soccer game, while another three were convicted last month for making the gesture outside the Sydney Jewish Museum.
Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission and a prominent voice against antisemitism in Australia, praised the prison sentence.
