Young man is convicted and fined for his ‘unacceptable’ act at a transgender march in Australia

A young man who performed a Nazi salute to disrupt a march in support of transgender people has been convicted but not jailed, despite a magistrate describing his behavior as unacceptable.

Felix John Jerzy Kiera made the gesture after standing in front of the Trans Day of Resistance Rally, an event held on November 23 to protest the marginalization of trans and non-binary people.

The 21-year-old was immediately arrested by police officers attending the march, which was held in Newtown in Sydney’s west.

On Tuesday he pleaded guilty at Newtown Local Court to one charge of knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol in public without reasonable excuse.

Kiera was joined in court by his father and handed over a letter of regret.

“I was ignorant, Your Honor,” he told magistrate Alexander Mijovich.

His legal aid lawyer argued for a non-conviction, saying the gesture was short-lived and did not prompt anyone else to participate.

However, the magistrate decided to convict the 21-year-old and impose a $1,000 fine.

“The message needs to go out to the community that this is simply unacceptable no matter what,” Mijovich said.

Felix Kiera said nothing to reporters as he left the court

Although a maximum prison sentence of 12 months was available for the offence, the magistrate opted for a lesser sentence after taking into account Kiera’s youth and lack of criminal history.

The guilty plea was made after prosecutors dropped a second charge of making a gesture in a public place that is a Nazi salute.

Kiera said nothing to reporters as he left the court.