A British man living in Western Australia is set to be deported after claiming he was part of a notorious neo-Nazi group.
Ryan Turner’s visa was canceled due to character and he was taken into immigration detention on Tuesday. He can appeal the decision to cancel his visa or voluntarily return to the UK.
Turner is understood to be a member of the National Socialist Network, the same group that organized an anti-Jewish rally outside the New South Wales parliament last year.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said: “Our government has zero tolerance for bigotry and hate. If you don’t like Australia, you can leave.”
The BBC has contacted the UK Foreign Office for comment.
Last year, Australia tightened its hate crime lawsintroducing mandatory prison terms for displaying hate symbols or making a Nazi salute.
In recent months, police have clamped down on the use of these symbols amid fears of a rise in antisemitism and right-wing extremism.
Many foreign nationals associated with Nazi ideology had their visas revoked including South African man Matthew Gruter who was detained last November.
Gruter is also part of the National Socialist Network and participated in a neo-Nazi rally outside the New South Wales parliament. It’s unclear if Turner attended.
Gruter was pictured in the front row of the rally with about 60 other men, all dressed in black, with a banner that said “abolish the Jewish lobby”.
Attendees also reportedly chanted “blood and honor”, a slogan associated with the Hitler Youth, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Gruter, who has lived in Australia since 2022 and works as a civil engineer, returned to South Africa with his wife and child, ABC reported in early December.
In another case, a The British man living in Queensland was arrested and charged for allegedly using a social media account to post the Nazi swastika, promote pro-Nazi ideology and call for violence against the Jewish community.
Just before Christmas, the man, identified in court documents as Kayn Adam Charles Wells, was placed in immigration detention in Brisbane after his visa was cancelled.
He appeared in court earlier this week – where he is understood to be seeking voluntary removal from Australia – with the case adjourned until February.
Last month, days after two gunmen killed 15 people at a Jewish event on Bondi Beach, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces a crackdown on hate speech with the new laws targeting “those who spread hatred, division and radicalization”.
The reforms also aim to give the home affairs minister new powers to cancel or deny visas for those spreading hate.