A Sydney restaurateur has pleaded guilty to displaying a Nazi symbol at an October rally in support of the Palestinian people, sparking outrage and legal action.
Alan Yazbek, co-founder of Nomad Group, which operates three upscale restaurants, was photographed during an Oct. 6 protest holding a sign replacing the Star of David on the Israeli flag with a blue swastika, next to the words “Stop Nazi Israel.”
The second sign associated with the colors of Hezbollah
Yazbek, 56, was also seen carrying another sign with green and yellow colors, associated with the Lebanese militia and the Hezbollah political party, a group recognized as a terrorist organization in Australia.
Bianca De Marchi/AP Photo
The protest took place a day before the anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7.
Although approximately 10,000 people attended the rally, Yazbek was the only person to be charged.
Initially, the police tried to block the event, but later reached a peaceful agreement with the organizers, eventually allowing it to take place.
Yazbek faces legal consequences
Yazbek now faces serious legal consequences, facing up to 12 months in prison or a fine of $7,300.
His sentencing is scheduled for December 10. From 2022, Australia will enforce a ban on displaying Nazi symbols and gestures, including the swastika, under various state and federal laws.
Jewish groups in Australia have expressed concern about an increase in anti-Semitic incidents as tensions escalate in the Middle East, stressing the importance of such legal action.
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Photo by Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
Community leaders have called for tougher penalties as a deterrent to hate speech and symbols, especially in light of deepening conflict in the region.
Recent increase in crimes related to Nazi symbols
Yazbek’s case follows a number of similar crimes in Australia.
In early October, the state police chief was forced to apologize to the Jewish community after a sergeant allegedly performed an illegal Nazi salute at the police academy.
Around the same time, a judge informed the self-proclaimed Nazi that he would be the first person in Australia to be jailed for making the banned salute gesture.
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Photo by Rod McGuirk/AP
The issue has gained greater visibility in Australia, especially after three fans were fined for making Nazi salutes during a match in Sydney in June.
The men who were the first to be convicted under these laws appealed their sentences.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press