Will banning hate symbols in public spaces enhance inclusion and safety?
Keiran Hardy · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · 2025
In response to rising threats of right-wing extremism, especially from neo-Nazi organizations and far-right terror groups, Australian governments have recently banned Nazi and other hate symbols by making it a crime to publicly display them. The laws are designed not only to promote public safety but also, according to the governments introducing them, to make public spaces more inclusive. This chapter examines laws recently enacted across Australia that ban Nazi symbols and salutes, as well as other hate symbols and symbols used by terrorist organizations. It asks whether the laws are consistent and likely to be effective, and how they can be understood as an example of situational crime prevention. Their practical benefits remain to be seen, but they are likely to help reduce the ability of far-right groups in Australia to spread their ideology and recruit new members. Their goal of improving inclusion is more doubtful, though they have been supported by diverse advocacy groups for the role they may play in reducing acts of public harassment and discrimination. While their consistency needs improving, the laws at least send a clear signal that Nazi and other symbols of hate have no place in Australia’s public spaces.