A 19-year-old man has been charged after police allege he publicly carried a flag bearing a Nazi symbol and had a knife in the Central West region of New South Wales.
NSW Police said the man was seen with the flag on August 31 on Henry Parkes Way, about 25 kilometres outside the town of Parkes. Officers were called to the area following reports of the offensive symbol and launched an investigation.
Police arrested the 19-year-old at Parkes Police Station about 12:15 p.m. on Monday after the inquiry, charging him with knowingly displaying by public act a Nazi symbol without excuse and having custody of a knife in a public place. He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Parkes Local Court on September 18.
Under New South Wales law, a person who knowingly displays a Nazi symbol in public without a lawful excuse can face a maximum penalty of up to 12 months' imprisonment and a fine of up to A$110,000. The police statement did not provide further details about the knife or any allegations of related offending.
NSW Police continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. No further details were released about the man's identity, and police did not comment on any motive.
The matter will return to the local court later this month, where charges will be formally read and any contested issues of bail or disclosure addressed. The charge for displaying a Nazi symbol reflects state-level measures that limit the public use of symbols associated with proscribed extremist ideologies.
Local authorities did not report any injuries linked to the incident. The case is one of several recent high-profile public-safety and public-order matters in New South Wales that have prompted police statements and court proceedings.
The 19-year-old faces prosecution in the NSW court system; any conviction or sentencing will be determined following legal proceedings and the presentation of evidence in court.