South African National Forced to Leave Australia Following Hate Rally
A South African national who participated in a neo-Nazi demonstration outside the New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney has had his Australian visa cancelled and will be deported. Matthew Gruter, a civil engineer living in Australia with his wife, took part in the controversial protest on 8th November that saw members of a group calling themselves 'White Australia' gather on Macquarie Street.
The Controversial Demonstration
The group, which had legally notified authorities of their intention to hold a public assembly, stood in formation for less than 20 minutes while displaying a large banner reading 'Abolish the Jewish Lobby'. Participants wore black uniforms with some sporting insignia on their jackets, while many made no attempt to conceal their identities from cameras.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke cancelled Gruter's visa on Monday, more than a week after the incident. In a strongly worded statement, Burke declared: 'If you are on a visa you are a guest. If you're a citizen you're a full member of the Australian family. Like with any household, if a guest turns up to show hatred and wreck the household, they can be told it's time to go home.'
Political Fallout and Legal Review
The authorised nature of the protest has sparked significant political controversy. NSW Premier Chris Minns stated the event should never have been approved and announced a review into why police didn't oppose it, particularly given that authorities had previously blocked high-profile pro-Palestinian protests in Sydney.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon attributed the failure to inform the state government in advance to a 'communication error'. The incident has prompted the state government to introduce fresh laws restricting protests outside places of worship, following the Supreme Court's striking down of previous legislation that gave police expanded powers to move on protesters.
This case follows Burke's previous use of visa cancellation powers against foreign nationals involved in 'inciting discord', including rapper Kanye West and far-right podcaster Candace Owens. The rally proceeded despite controversial new laws that came into effect in August, making it a crime to intentionally incite hatred based on race, nationality or ethno-religious background.
