NAZI symbol ban in Tasmania welcomed!

Equality Tasmania has welcomed the State Government's decision to ban Nazi symbols and called on it to go further with more comprehensive hate crime legislation. The Government has announced it will prohibit the display of Nazi symbols including the swastika, following the lead of Victoria and NSW. Equality Tasmania president, Rodney Croome, said,

 

"But we urge the Government to go further by ensuring hate-motivated crimes attract heavier penalties regardless of the type of hatred concerned."

 

"Currently in Tasmania, only racial hatred can be considered an aggravating factor when judges pass sentences for hate-motivated crimes."

 

"This sends the message that hate against LGBTIQA+ people, or other disadvantaged groups including people with disability, is less serious."

 

"All victims of hate crime should have equal protection under the law."

 

Germany's Nazi regime systematically imprisoned and murdered tens of thousands of gay men and other members of the LGBTIQA+ community between 1933 and 1945, using a pink triangle to identify and stigmatise gay men in concentration camps.

 

For a local news report about Nazis and swastikas during the marriage postal survey in 2017 see links below: