Neighbours Star Found Guilty of Nazi Salute at Event
Australian actor Damien Richardson, known for his role as Gary Canning in the soap opera Neighbours from 2014 to 2020, was found guilty of making a Nazi salute during a speech at a Melbourne event last year.
Details of the Incident
The 56-year-old performed the gesture at a gathering of the National Workers Alliance, an organization advocating "the preservation of Western culture and identity." The event took place in a Melbourne restaurant and included attendance by members of the National Socialist Network (NSN), a far-right extremist group with neo-Nazi and white supremacist ties.
Richardson’s Actions During the Speech
During his speech, Richardson raised his right hand and asked:
Am I gonna be fined now? I'm going to go jail for five years?
Legal Context and Court Ruling
Under Victorian law, performing a Nazi salute or displaying Nazi symbols publicly is mostly prohibited. Richardson contested the charge filed by Victoria Police but was found guilty on Friday.
Magistrate Justin Foster stated the act "clearly looked like a Nazi salute," and noted it occurred in a public space and was not part of a theatrical performance, which might have been an exception under the law.
However, the magistrate emphasized that Richardson's gesture did not necessarily imply loyalty or allegiance to Adolf Hitler.
Summary
Richardson was convicted for publicly making a Nazi salute during a speech, breaching Victoria’s laws against such acts, despite the absence of proven extremist intent.
Author’s summary: Damien Richardson was found guilty of performing a Nazi salute at a Melbourne event, violating public law regardless of intent or affiliation.