Neo-Nazi Matthew gruter Departs Australia Following Visa Revocation
Sydney, NSW - matthew Gruter, a key figure in a recent neo-Nazi protest outside NSW Parliament, has left Australia after Immigration Minister Andrew Giles revoked his visa. The revocation followed public outcry and scrutiny over Gruter’s presence in the contry and his connection to the November 8 demonstration.
The decision to revoke Gruter’s visa and his subsequent departure underscores growing government efforts to counter extremist ideologies within Australia. The protest,which prompted the NSW government to enact further law changes aimed at preventing similar demonstrations,highlighted vulnerabilities in visa processes and sparked debate about balancing freedom of speech with national security concerns.
While in Australia, Mr. Gruter’s online job profile listed his employer as multinational design, engineering and consulting firm Aurecon. Details posted by his wife online indicated he arrived in Australia in 2022, sponsored by an Australian company.
The November 8 protest was initially approved by NSW Police after organizers filed a ‘Form 1’ application. No offences were detected during the event itself. However, the demonstration prompted the NSW government to amend the Crimes Act 1900, banning conduct that indicates support for Nazi ideology and granting police increased powers to arrest individuals at neo-Nazi demonstrations. Displaying Nazi symbols is already illegal in NSW.
Previously, Labor MP Tony Burke stated he did not expect Mr. Gruter to appeal the visa revocation decision.