A man has been charged by New South Wales police after allegedly displaying tattoos linked to Nazi ideology at a popular beach in Newcastle on Christmas Eve.
Beachgoer Spots Offensive Symbols
The incident unfolded at Bar Beach on the afternoon of Wednesday, 24 December. Local resident Ben Parsons was at the beach with his children when he noticed a man acting in a loud and "obnoxious" manner. Upon the man turning around, Parsons saw a series of prominent tattoos on his leg.
The tattoos included a large "white power" design on the calf and the distinct logo of the Schutzstaffel (SS) near the ankle. The SS was the elite paramilitary unit of the Nazi regime, directly responsible for countless atrocities during the Holocaust.
Public Display Leads to Arrest
After Parsons took photographs of the tattoos, the man, who was with a woman and children, allegedly made a white power hand signal before leaving the area. Parsons promptly reported the incident to Crime Stoppers and provided a formal statement to NSW Police, including the specialist Operation Shelter taskforce, which handles antisemitic crimes.
"We all need to be the best Australians we can be at the moment and show solidarity and unity and call out racism and fascism when we see it," Parsons stated, explaining his decision to speak out.
Police Action and Court Date Set
Following an investigation, detectives from Coffs Harbour arrested a 36-year-old man at a home in Urunga, south of Coffs Harbour, at approximately 6:30 pm on Saturday. He was taken to Coffs Harbour police station for processing.
The man was charged with two offences:
- Knowingly displaying, by public act, a Nazi symbol without excuse.
- Causing a prohibited Nazi symbol to be displayed in a public place.
He was granted strict conditional bail and is scheduled to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday, 22 January 2026.
The case highlights ongoing police efforts to tackle the public display of hate symbols under recent legislation, with authorities urging the public to report such incidents.
