Australia: Joel Davis charged over neo-Nazi rally outside NSW parliament

Neo-Nazi Joel Davis has been charged in Australia over an alleged hate speech incident linked to a rally outside New South Wales parliament in Sydney.

NSW police said the 32-year-old was arrested in South Penrith on Wednesday and later charged after an investigation into the protest and speeches made by participants.

Police said the charges are publicly inciting hatred on the grounds of race and causing fear.

Davis was taken to Penrith police station and granted conditional bail before being ordered to appear at Downing Centre local court on 3 June.

The case relates to a National Socialist Network protest on Macquarie Street on 8 November last year, when about 60 members of the now-disbanded group allegedly stood in formation and displayed a banner reading: "Abolish the Jewish lobby." The prosecution is significant because it follows scrutiny of the police response to the rally and wider criticism over how alleged antisemitic incidents have been handled.

NSW police said the matter was reviewed by the security investigation unit and counter terrorist and special tactics command, which sought legal advice on the public assembly and speeches.

At the time of the rally, police faced criticism for not opposing the organisers' application after receiving legal advice that the banner did not meet the threshold for hate speech.

Senior police and members of the premier's department security team were later shown to have been notified ahead of time, according to documents released under freedom of information.

NSW police commissioner Mal Lanyon and premier Chris Minns said they were unaware of the event until after it happened.

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