Ex-Neighbours star Damien Richardson found guilty of performing Nazi salute on stage

FORMER Neighbour star Damien Richardson has been found guilty of performing a Nazi salute in public.

The Aussie soap star, 56, was charged with performing the banned gesture during a political event at a McKinnon restaurant on September 14 last year.

Footage showed Richardson throwing his right arm in the air during a political event held by the National Workers Alliance, a group whose mission includes “Preserve Western Culture and Identity” and “Protect Family Rights & Traditions”.

He performed the banned gesture while mocking a news article that he claimed “likened” him to Adolf Hitler.

Following a three-day trial at the Moorabbin Magistrates Court magistrate Justin Foster found Richardson guilty of performing the gesture that “clearly looked like a Nazi salute”.

“I do find a Nazi gesture… has been performed,” he said.

“For those reasons I find the accused guilty of the charge.”

In a video posted on social media and played in the courtroom, Richardson complained about an “anti-white male agenda” and “wokism” in Australiasuggesting white Australians are being made to feel like an “illegitimate culture”.

He added he was “enraged” about allegedly being labelled as  a neo-Nazi for being involved in anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown protests during the pandemic.

Richardson said: “I grew up celebrating my grandfather’s war effort.”

He then alleged The Age newspaper “likened me to Adolf Hitler” in an article dating from August 2023 and raised his right arm as the crowed clapped and cheered.

He said: “Yep that guy, 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.”

Richardson’s solicitor Peter Monagle said his client was paid $500 to perform at the event and the alleged salute was parody or satire of the alleged claim made by The Age.

Mr Monagle added Richardson was not a member of the National Workers Alliance and had differing views to its leader Matt Trihey.

Under Victorian law, there are a number of legal reasons why a person may be allowed to perform a Nazi salute, these include for artistic purposes which would include a theatrical performance.

However, prosecutor Nicholas La Mattina argued Richardson’s alleged Nazi gesture did not represent a theatrical performance but was done in the context of a speech.

Giving evidence at the trial on Thursday, Holocaust historian professor Konrad Kwiet said the only “legal definition” of a Nazi salute in Nazi Germany was that it was performed by raising the right arm.

He told the court: “It is my opinion (Mr Richardson’s) raising the right arm and in that direction is a Nazi salute.”

The expert added there were four elements of the salute, the fourth being a demonstration of “loyalty and unconditional obedience” to Hitler, National Socialism and the Nazi regime.

Mr Foster said on the evidence of Dr Kwiet, for Mr Richardson’s gesture to be a Nazi salute it “has to convey loyalty, affiliation or obedience”.

“He (Mr Richardson) is mocking, he’s trying to say I’m not that person,” the magistrate said.

In his summing up, Mr Foster said Richardson was saying The Age had treated him badly and branded him “as a Nazi or like Hitler to shut down what might be described as extreme right wing views”.

He added: “The salute that came immediately afterwards was a mocking gesture.

“It was trying to demonstrate that he clearly wasn’t Adolf Hitler, he wasn’t a Nazi.”

Mr Foster said Richardson had gone on to say he was “very proud” of his grandfather fighting Nazis and during his speech he had at least twice shut down “elements of antisemitism” in the crowd.

Richardson will return to court on December 4 for submissions on sentence.