The Australian state of Tasmania is holding public consultation on legislation to criminalize the display of Nazi symbols, including the swastika, when used for hate and causing fear.
Tasmania’s attorney general, Elise Archer, urged support for the measure.
“Our government is strongly opposed to the use of Nazi symbols which promote hate and cause fear in our community, which is why we committed to ensure our laws appropriately reflect community expectations,” she said. “I encourage everyone interested to view the draft legislation and have their say before submissions close.”
Archer said the public display of the swastika or other symbols associated with Nazi ideology, other than for legitimate purposes, is in breach of community and moral standards.
The amendment to the Police Offences Act 1935 would insert an offence prohibiting the display of Nazi symbols by a public act and without legitimate public purpose, if the person knows, or reasonably ought to know, that the symbol is a Nazi symbol.
“The bill provides a non-exhaustive definition of a ‘legitimate public purpose’, which includes a display done reasonably and in good faith for a genuine academic, artistic, religious, scientific, cultural, educational or law enforcement purpose,” the government of Tasmania said in as statement.
“Collectors or traders in memorabilia with Nazi symbols are not restricted by the bill unless public display of the symbols is involved, in which case the display would need to be for a legitimate purpose, or the symbols would need to be covered from display.”
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)