A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to two months’ imprisonment after repeatedly performing Nazi salutes and engaging in disorderly behaviour in **Hobart, becoming the first known person in Tasmania to receive a jail sentence for the offence.
The man, identified as Cameron John Matthews, appeared before the court after a series of incidents that began on 23 August in Hobart’s central business district.
The court heard that shortly before midnight, police attended Liverpool Street following reports of a man behaving in a disorderly manner. According to evidence presented in court, Matthews was allegedly acting erratically, referring to both himself and police officers as “skinheads” and repeatedly performing Nazi salutes.
He was subsequently arrested and taken to Hobart Reception Prison.
The following day, Matthews appeared before the Hobart Magistrates Court via video link. During that appearance, the court heard that he used abusive language towards the presiding magistrate and performed a Nazi salute on three separate occasions in front of lawyers, court officials, and members of the public.
Magistrate Catherine Geason was told that the behaviour occurred despite Tasmania’s strict laws prohibiting Nazi symbols and gestures.
In 2023, Tasmania became the first Australian state to outlaw Nazi symbols and Nazi salutes, introducing legislation designed to combat hate speech and extremist activity.
The sentence is believed to be the first jail term imposed under the state’s laws banning Nazi gestures, marking a significant development in the enforcement of Tasmania’s anti-hate legislation.
Authorities have said the laws are intended to protect community safety and ensure that symbols associated with hate, violence, and extremism are not promoted in public spaces.
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