A second Australian state on Thursday banned public displays of Nazi symbols.
New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, followed in the footsteps of Victoria, the second most populous, which in June banned the public display of Nazi swastikas.
The law was approved with the unanimous support of the upper house of the state Parliament. The lower house approved the bill on Tuesday.
The states of Queensland and Tasmania have announced similar laws, which will mean that half of Australia’s eight states and territories and the majority of the Australian population will be banned from displaying Nazi symbols.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Darren Bark described the passage of the law as a historic day for the state.
“Nazi symbols are a gateway to violence and are being used by extremists as a recruitment tool,” Bark said. “Banning their display is a long-awaited and necessary law in our state. The perpetrators will finally be held accountable.”
The law allows the swastika to be used in academic, historical, or educational settings, thus paving the way for it to be displayed by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains, for whom it has religious significance.
“For a long time, the Hindu community has not felt comfortable displaying our symbol of peace because it looks like a symbol of evil. That’s not the case anymore,” said Hindu Council of Australia National Vice President Surinder Jain.