Special Operation Avalite has issued a court summons to a Melbourne man, 34, for allegedly waving a Hizballah flag through the streets of Melbourne's CBD during a protest last year.
The Broadmeadows man has been summoned to appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 19 March, 2025.
The AFP yesterday (6 February, 2025) served him with the notice for the offence of public display of a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol contrary to section 80.2HA of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The offence carries a maximum penalty of 12 months' imprisonment.
The AFP will allege the man waved a Hizballah flag in the Melbourne CBD on 29 September, 2024
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said the AFP would not tolerate crimes that undermined Australia's security or way of life.
"The AFP is relentlessly pursuing evidence and identifying those who allegedly displayed prohibited symbols at the Melbourne protest in 2024," AC Nutt said.
"Investigators have reviewed more than 100 hours of CCTV footage, police body worn camera footage and vision taken at the Melbourne protest and will continue exploring every avenue to identify those involved."
In December last year, the AFP charged a separate Melbourne man, 36, for allegedly displaying a Hizballah flag during the same protest on 29 September, 2024.
In January 2024, the Commonwealth introduced legislation prohibiting the public display or trade in prohibited Nazi symbols and symbols used by prohibited terrorist organisations. The Hizballah flag is a prohibited symbol under the legislation.
In December 2021, the Commonwealth designated Hizballah as a terrorist organisation.
