A Victorian man has become the first person to be found guilty of performing a Nazi salute, after the state made it illegal in 2023.
Jacob Hersant, 25, performed the Nazi salute in front of media outside the County Court in Victoria last October.
On October 27 last year, 25-year-old Jacob Hersant was outside of the County Court in Victoria when he raised his arm to a 90-degree angle… right in front of the media and cameras.
Unfortunately for Hersant, the state of Victoria had outlawed publicly performing a Nazi salute just six days prior. Which he then realised, and tried to retract his action.
“Oh, nearly did it, it’s illegal now isn’t it?” he said, lowering his arm.
Then as he was walking away from the court, he made an extremist statement: “Australia for the white man, heil Hitler.”
Almost a year later, Jacob Hersant was found guilty by Magistrate Brett Sonnet of performing the illegal gesture, which the judge described as an “inherently political act”.
Hersant’s lawyer had attempted to argue both that his client didn’t actually perform a “perfect” salute, and also tried to say the Nazi Salute Prohibition Bill infringed on free political communication.
Sonnet wasn’t having any of that, however, and said Hersant intentionally performed the salute, which had been banned.
“In short the act captured plainly demonstrates the gesture so clearly resembling a Nazi salute,” said the Magistrate.
“As a result your client has been found guilty.”
The 25-year-old self-proclaimed Nazi will return to court for sentencing on Wednesday, with the maximum penalty for the offence being 12 months in jail, or a $23,000 fine.
Hersant isn’t losing any sleep over the guilty verdict though, because he’s a proud Nazi and believes he has a “right to express” his political ideology.
“I don’t feel shame for giving a political salute because those are my beliefs,” he told reporters outside the court.
“I do give the Nazi salute and I am a Nazi.”
The Nazi also flagged that he may attempt to appeal the ruling, and also stated that he will continue to perform the illegal gesture.
“I continue to be a national socialist, I’ll continue to give the salute but hopefully police officers don’t see it,” Hersant said.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she hopes the guilty verdict will send a clear message that there is no tolerance for Nazis.
“We took very, very strong action as a government, as a parliament, as a society, to say that … Nazi salute behaviour is utterly unacceptable,” Allan said.
“It should be prosecuted, it has been.”
Lead Image: AP Images/Nine
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