Australian authorities have detained South African national Matthew Gruter after revoking his visa on character grounds.
The decision follows his appearance at an anti Jewish neo Nazi rally held outside the New South Wales state parliament earlier this month.
According to BBC News, Gruter was identified among a group of roughly sixty men dressed in black and carrying a banner that read “Abolish the Jewish lobby”.
The protest was organised by the National Socialist Network, which is regarded as a prominent neo Nazi group in Australia.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that Gruter’s visa had been cancelled.
Burke said those who attended the rally were not “patriotic” and stressed that individuals residing in the country on visas should regard themselves as guests.
He added that Gruter’s options to appeal the decision would be limited due to the cancellation being made at ministerial level.
Gruter, who moved to Australia with his wife in 2022 and works as a civil engineer, was detained early on Tuesday morning.
The rally at which he appeared included repeated chanting of slogans historically associated with Nazi youth movements, Australian media reported.
The demonstration, which lasted about 20 minutes, drew criticism from New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who called it a “shocking display of hatred”.
The Jewish Council of Australia described the rise of similar groups as a threat to multiculturalism and warned that such events should be treated as hate speech rather than political expression.
Gruter is now awaiting deportation while in immigration detention.
Authorities in Australia have recorded a recent increase in activities linked to far right extremism, and earlier this year introduced legislation imposing mandatory prison sentences for performing Nazi salutes in public.
