By Riley Walter and Sally Rawsthorne
One man has pleaded guilty and another remains before the courts after they were charged over the alleged display of a flag emblazoned with a swastika less than 150 metres from the Sydney Jewish Museum.
Police were called to Darlo Bar on Liverpool Street in Kings Cross about 4.30pm on Thursday after reports a man was displaying a flag with the Nazi symbol.
“A short time later, a 51-year-old man and another man – aged 44 – were arrested nearby and taken to Kings Cross Police Station,” NSW Police said in a statement on Thursday.
Darlo Bar is one block from the Sydney Jewish Museum.
On Friday, Craig Jason Elston, 51, pleaded guilty in the Downing Centre Local Court to one count of knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol without excuse.
His co-accused, Charles Mark Cameron, 44, did not enter a plea when he appeared before Magistrate Greg Grogan.
Both men were refused bail, with Elston due to return to the Local Court for sentence on February 21.
Cameron will face court the same day.
The flag and several electronic devices were seized by police.
The charges come after the state government announced a suite of policies, including the creation of a new criminal offence for intentionally inciting racial hatred, strengthening protections for places of worship and amending existing laws to create an aggravated offence for graffiti on these sites.
Premier Chris Minns will introduce the bolstered hate speech laws once parliament resumes.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said reports of the incident were “deeply troubling”.
“Something has gone terribly wrong given that these incidents have become an almost daily occurrence,” he said.
“The antisemitism crisis didn’t start with the firebombing of childcare centres and cars – it started with words and symbols of hate.
“We thank the police for acting swiftly to apprehend the individuals allegedly responsible.”
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