Man fined over Neo-Nazi stickers may face prison time for Nazi salute

A Canberra man who stuck white supremacist stickers across an Indigenous learning centre at the Australian National University (ANU) has been fined $5,000 and could face prison time for performing the Nazi salute.

Zachary James Hook left stickers promoting the National Socialist Network and white supremacist slogans around the ANU's Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre on two occasions last year.

The then-18-year-old pleaded guilty to offensive behaviour on Commonwealth premises, which carries a maximum penalty of $6,600.

He has also admitted to twice performing the Nazi salute in public, a Commonwealth charge introduced in 2024 which mandates at least 12 months' imprisonment.

But the ACT Magistrates Court today heard his penalty could exceed that once it goes before the territory's superior ACT Supreme Court next month.

Court documents show Hook displayed stickers across the ANU campus on two occasions in August and September 2025 which bore slogans including "National Socialist Network", "Australia for the white man", and "White revolution is the only solution".

The National Socialist Network is a Neo-Nazi group that was banned earlier this year under the Australian government's hate speech laws, and is currently appealing that decision in the High Court.

The stickers were on a poster encouraging multiculturalism and on a cabinet and door inside the university's Black, Indigenous and People of Colour department building.

In sentencing, Magistrate James Lawton said social media had "no doubt had an impact" on Hook's behaviour.

Even if it was a form of protest, Magistrate Lawton said, Hook's conduct was serious, targeted and clearly offensive.

He said that even though Hook had acknowledged the impact of his behaviour, it was "somewhat troubling" he had not necessarily demonstrated a change in his views.

The magistrate imposed a $5,000 fine to account for Hook's guilty plea, clean criminal record and letter of apology.

But he could not sentence Hook for the second charge of performing a Nazi salute because of an "unusual" and "unique" sentencing dilemma.

The Commonwealth charge carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 12 months' imprisonment, but the ACT Magistrates Court did not have jurisdiction and could not impose a sentence of more than 12 months for the offending.

Because Hook's conduct was "not at the lower end of the scale," the magistrate committed the matter to the ACT Supreme Court, which is able to consider more severe penalties.

The maximum penalty is five years' imprisonment.

"This court is not empowered … to impose an adequate penalty," the magistrate told the court today.

He referred to a recent matter in the NSW District Court where an 18-month sentence was imposed against a man who performed the Nazi salute on a Discord broadcast.

The magistrate said he regarded Hook's offending as "more serious" than the NSW case.