"At far-right rallies in several Australian cities, neo-Nazis were photographed brandishing megaphones with unusual markings on them ancient runic symbols, some with associations to white supremacism, while others meant birch trees. Far-right extremists are continuing a Nazi tradition of co-opting ancient Norse mythology to create a grab bag of symbols, allowing them to continue to signal their white supremacy now they can no longer legally display the Hakenkreuz (swastika) or the Nazi salute."
"A surge in rightwing extremism in Australia sparked the creation of state and federal laws banning Nazi and hate symbols, predominantly the German swastika, Nazi salute and the double-sig rune that was the logo of the Schutzstaffel (SS). The original Nazis co-opted the ancient religious symbol of the swastika, which is distinct from the one used by Buddhist, Hindu and Jain communities, for whom it remains a symbol of peace and love."
"Associate prof Keiran Hardy, a counter-terrorism expert at Griffith University's criminology institute, says neo-Nazis are avoiding symbols that will lead to criminal penalties, and appropriating symbols in the same way the Nazis did. They're drawing on Nordic runes, symbolising the blue-eyed, blond-haired Aryan ideal of the Nordic, the Scandinavian heritage, he says. Sign up: AU Breaking News email Dr Levi West, an extremism expert and research fellow at the Australian National University, says neo-Nazis have been forced to change their aesthetics."
Neo-Nazis in Australia have been photographed using megaphones marked with ancient runic symbols to signal white supremacist beliefs while avoiding banned Nazi insignia. Far-right extremists continue a tradition of co-opting Norse mythology and Nordic runes to invoke an Aryan, blue-eyed, blond-haired ideal and Scandinavian heritage. State and federal laws in Australia ban Nazi and hate symbols, predominantly the German swastika, the Nazi salute, and the SS double-sig rune. The original Nazis appropriated the swastika and selected runes from Nordic/Germanic traditions, distinct from the swastika used by Buddhist, Hindu and Jain communities. Alternative symbols also serve operational security and evasion purposes.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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