South African national Matthew Gruter has had his Australian visa cancelled after he joined a neo-Nazi group’s anti-Jewish protest outside the New South Wales (NSW) state parliament on 8 November 2025. According to The Guardian, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke cancelled the visa on Monday, more than a week after the rally on Macquarie Street in central Sydney.
The group, which described itself as “White Australia, formerly the National Socialist Network”, stood in formation outside parliament holding a banner reading “Abolish the Jewish Lobby”. The demonstration lasted less than 20 minutes and had been legally authorised under NSW’s protest rules, with police informed in advance and not opposing the assembly.
The BBC reports that Gruter, who has lived in Australia since 2022, moved there with his wife and works as a civil engineer, citing ABC News. He was taken into immigration detention in the early hours of Tuesday after the minister’s decision, which he said was made on character grounds and leaves Gruter with “very limited” options to appeal.
Burke defended the move, saying: “If you are on a visa you are a guest. If you’re a citizen you’re a full member of the Australian family.”
Rally Reignites Debate Over Hate Speech and Protest Laws
Australia has seen a rise in right-wing extremism in recent years, and its federal government has already made the Nazi salute punishable by a mandatory prison term, according to the BBC. At the 8 November rally, demonstrators wore black clothing, some with insignia on their jackets, and many appeared unconcerned about being filmed.
The NSW government is now facing questions over why the event went ahead. NSW police later confirmed the group had filed a formal “form 1” notice for a public assembly, which was not opposed. Police commissioner Mal Lanyon said he was unaware the demonstration had been authorised and blamed a “communication error” for the failure to alert the state government.
Premier Chris Minns said the rally should not have been approved and announced a review into the police decision, noting that authorities had previously opposed high-profile pro-Palestinian protests in Sydney. The state government also plans new laws to restrict protests outside places of worship after earlier legislation granting police broader powers was struck down by the state’s supreme court.
The rally was allowed to proceed despite controversial NSW laws, in force since August, that make it a crime to intentionally incite hatred on the basis of race, nationality or ethno-religious background.
Officials and Jewish Community Condemn Neo-Nazi Stunt
Minns condemned the gathering as a “shocking display of hatred and racism and antisemitism”, according to the BBC. Sarah Schwartz, executive officer of the Jewish Council of Australia, told the broadcaster that such neo-Nazi demonstrations are a threat to multiculturalism and “acts of hate speech”.
Burke has previously used his powers to block visas for figures accused of fuelling division, including rapper Kanye West and US far-right commentator Candace Owens.
Gruter’s own account of the events has not been reported in the BBC or Guardian coverage. There have been no public statements from him or the group about the visa being cancelled after the neo-Nazi rally.
