South African man seen at neo-Nazi rally has Australian visa revoked

A South African man who was seen attending neo-Nazi rally outside an Australian state parliament has had his visa revoked.

Matthew Gruter, who has been Australia since 2022, took part in an anti-Jewish protest outside the New South Wales parliament organised by the National Socialist Network earlier this month.

He was seen in the front row of around 60 men clad in black, who held up a banner that said “Abolish the Jewish lobby”, Australian media reports.

Australia has seen a recent rise in right-wing extremism. Its government made the Nazi salute punishable by a mandatory prison term earlier this year.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the cancellation of Mr Gruter’s visa, saying: “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.”

Mr Gruter moved to Australia with his wife and works as a civil engineer, according to ABC News.

The National Socialist Network, which organised the rally on 8 November, is a well-known neo-Nazi group in Australia. Mr Gruter is a senior member of the group in New South Wales, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Protesters repeatedly chanted “blood and honour”, a slogan associated with the Hitler Youth, according to ABC News.

It last less than 20 minutes and was legally authorised, the Guardian reports.