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Former Neighbours actor Damien Richardson is being investigated by Victoria Police after performing the Nazi salute at a far-right activist event.
Richardson, 55, played Gary Canning on the Australian soap for six years between 2014 and 2020. He also had roles in Blue Heelers, McLeod’s Daughters and Wentworth.
During the COVID-19 pandemic he quit acting to launch a campaign against vaccinations, and was part of a protest in Melbourne against them in 2021.
He later made a failed bid to be an independent candidate on the Australian Senate.
Since then he’s founded the National Workers’ Alliance (NWA), which is associated with other alleged far-right, white supremacist, and neo-Nazi identities.
The NWA brands themselves as a ‘Australian Nationalist Organisation for the preservation of western culture and identity.’
As part of that, he regularly gives speeches at events about racial identity and societal change.
A recent Facebook live stream showed Richardson addressing a crowd, saying: ‘There is a war on men.’
‘I thought it was a war on Western tradition, Western values… and actually, it’s an anti-white-male-agenda.’
He then proceeded to give the Nazi salute, before adding: ‘Am I gonna be fined now? I’m gonna go to jail for five years? Richardson did the salute?’
‘I mean, really? I mean, this is absurd. This is insane.
‘It’s crazy. It’s so crazy you can’t believe it’s even happening.’
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In a statement issued to ABC News Australia, authorities confirmed that they were investigating the incident: ‘Police are investigating vision which shows a person performing a Nazi salute, believed to be in Victoria.’
Richardson told the publication that he distanced himself from the Neo-Nazi activists at the event and that he is not part of their movement.
Metro have contacted Damien Richardson for comment.
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