A Victorian far right extremist has been sentenced to one month in prison for performing the Nazi salute. Prominent Neo-Nazi, Jacob Hersant, made the offensive gesture in front of journalists in October, just days after the Victorian government passed laws banning public nazi salutes. The 25-year-old's lawyers say they will be lodging an appeal and will apply for him to be released on bail later today.
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00:00Far-right extremist Jacob Persant has walked free from court today, despite being sentenced
00:07to one month in prison for performing the Nazi salute.
00:11The 25-year-old had just escaped serving further prison time last year for a separate offence
00:16when he left Victoria's county court and performed the Nazi salute in front of a group of journalists,
00:21just six days after new laws banning the gesture came into effect in Victoria.
00:26Last month he was found guilty of the offence and today he faced Melbourne Magistrates Court
00:30for sentencing, where he was supported by his mother as well as prominent neo-Nazis.
00:35His lawyers today attempted to argue that Persant was spared any jail time, saying that
00:39a term of imprisonment would be the most crushing sentence ever handed down for the offence
00:44in Australia.
00:46But Magistrate Brett Sonnet wasn't swayed by that argument, pointing to Persant's absence
00:50of a guilty plea, his criminal history, as well as his lack of remorse, and sentencing
00:55him to one month in jail.
00:57However, Persant's lawyers did successfully argue that he be granted bail after they indicated
01:02that he would appeal the sentence.
01:04Outside court, Persant told reporters that he thought it was honourable that he be the
01:08first Victorian to be charged and convicted for performing the Nazi salute.