Veteran Australian actor and would-be politician Damien Richardson appeared in a Victoria magistrates’ court on Wednesday after he was charged with performing a ‘Nazi gesture’.
Video shared online shows the former Neighbours actor at a meeting of the National Workers Alliance in a Melbourne suburb this year, where he is seen allegedly motioning a Nazi salute – a gesture banned in the state of Victoria.
The 56-year-old defended the charges by asserting he appeared at the meeting on the basis that it was ‘paid theatre’.
Richardson, who represented the Freedom Party of Victoria in the 2022 elections, attended the gathering at a restaurant in McKinnon in September.
He appeared on Wednesday at the Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court for a two-day contested hearing, reported the Daily Telegraph.
During proceedings, the court heard that it was accepted that Richardson was at the meeting and that he made a gesture which saw the retired actor extend his arm in an upright position with his palm out and down.Â
Veteran Australian actor and would-be politician Damien Richardson appeared in a Victoria magistrates’ court on Wednesday after he was charged with performing a ‘Nazi’ gesture. Pictured: Richardson appearing at court in July to hear the chargesÂ
The court will consider whether this gesture was in fact a Nazi salute.
In addition, the defence will argue whether the prosecution can prove Richardson knew it was an alleged Nazi salute.
The court heard that Richardson had accepted a ‘no comment’ interview via his lawyers after the matter began being investigated by detectives in November.Â
Prosecutors played video from the event at the hearing which featured an anti-immigration speaker.
Included in Richardson’s defence was a statement from his legal representative, Mr Monagle, who said that the gesture ‘was done in a form of parody or satire’ in reference to an article about the one-time that actor appeared in The Age.
Video of Richardson shown in court saw Richardson discuss an article in The Age from August 2023 that he said compared him to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
He is seen in the video extending his arm and declaring: ‘Am I allowed to do that or am I going to be fined now?
‘This is absurd, this is insane, this is crazy … just the slur alone is enough to do the damage.’
Video shared online shows the former Neighbours actor at a meeting of the National Workers Alliance in a Melbourne suburb this year, allegedly motioning a Nazi salute – a gesture banned in the state of Victoria. Pictured: Richardson at the meeting
The court heard audience members in the video make anti-Semitic slurs, to which Richardson responds: ‘I told you boys to cut it out.’
The court also heard that the event was a private function with patrons only learning of the venue after forking over the $50 entry fee.
It comes after Richardson had appeared in the same court in July.
During the appearance, Richardson asked police to consider offering him a diversion at a hearing in June, to spare him a criminal conviction, but this was rejected, the court was told.
He has now been charged with intentionally performing ‘a Nazi gesture whilst knowing that the symbol is associated with Nazi ideology’ and that the display ‘occurred in a public place’.
Prosecutor Nicholas La Mattina applied to change the wording of the single charge, to remove the words ‘symbol’ and ‘display’.
He also asked the magistrate to insert the words ‘Nazi salute’ into the charge, and that it ‘is likely to be confused with or mistaken for a Nazi salute, whilst knowing the Nazi salute is a Nazi gesture’.
Magistrate Luisa Bazzani approved the change in wording and ordered the matter be set down for a two-day contested hearing.
The 56-year-old defended the charges by asserting he appeared at the meeting on the basis that it was ‘paid theatre’. Pictured: Richardson in a guest role in Neighbours
She said there were two issues; whether Richardson performed a Nazi gesture or salute and whether he could be exempt under the Act as performing out of ‘genuine artistic purpose’.
‘What’s conceded is the gesture Mr Richardson performed was a Nazi gesture, but not specifically a Nazi salute,’ Mr La Mattina said.
Defence lawyer Peter Monagle said his client claimed ‘it was a gesture which was made without thought as to what ramifications there may be’.
The magistrate said Richardson had referred to the fact he may be fined or jailed, while he was performing the gesture.
Mr La Mattina said he may potentially call an expert on ‘what constitutes a Nazi salute’ to give evidence at the hearing.
Richardson is facing a fine of up to $23,000 or 12 months in jail.
After Richardson made his gesture, which was broadcast live on Facebook, members of the National Socialist Network neo-Nazi group could be heard cheering.
Despite his actions and words being filmed, the actor has tried to distance himself from the neo-Nazis he was addressing.
Richardson made headlines when he announced he would stand as a Senate candidate in the 2022 elections. He made the decision after retiring as an actor in 2021. His credits include the Guy Pearce film The Hard Word in 2002 (pictured)
Matt Trihey, who organised the Melbourne gathering, said ‘there has been a lot of misinformation spoken about the event, Damien, the National Workers Alliance and myself’.
‘Neither Damien or I have ever been members of Nazi organisations and we have no connection with the NSN,’ he told the ABC.
‘I am a free speech advocate and have no control over who purchases online tickets to my events.’
Richardson made headlines when he announced he would stand as a Senate candidate in the 2022 elections.
He made the decision after retiring as an actor in 2021.Â
His credits include the Guy Pearce film The Hard Word in 2002, and the critically acclaimed Noise (2007).
