Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell among four arrested in police sting

The prominent Melbourne neo-Nazi is one of four members of the National Socialist Network to be arrested in a huge anti-terror police sting.

Thomas Sewell and three other NSN members were arrested on Thursday. Picture: David Geraghty

Prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell has been charged in a major police swoop against the far-right National Socialist Network.

Sewell, of Wantirna South, will face two counts of intimidating a police officer or police officer’s family member.

The 31-year-old was bailed to appear in Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on February 18.

A Victoria Police statement said the charges follow two incidents last month.

One of those saw a pack of neo-Nazis attempting to disrupt a refugee protest camp outside the Department of Home Affairs.

Sewell was arrested in Wantirna South. Picture: Nicki Connolly

They were met with police who doused them with pepper spray before Premier Jacinta Allan labelled them as “disgraceful cowards”.

“The first relates to online commentary following a rally on Bourke Street around 5pm on Tuesday, 22 October,” the statement said.

About a dozen NSN members then held a protest outside the Chinese consulate at Toorak where they demanded China extradite the man accused of throwing hot coffee at a baby.

“He was also interviewed in relation to an incident outside an embassy in Toorak about 12.30pm on Saturday, 26 October where a national flag was burned,” the statement added.

Police confront a group of neo-Nazis at a pro-refugee rally. Picture: TikTok/permanentvisaforrefugees

Sewell was released pending more inquiries into offences against the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act.

Three other men were arrested following five separate search warrants across the suburbs on Thursday.

Police allege a number of men wearing “offensive clothing” verbally harassed two women in the car park of a Port Melbourne retail store about 7.30pm on October 31.

“A 25-year-old North Melbourne man was interviewed by detectives in relation to the offences of serious racial vilification and grossly offensive public conduct,” the statement continued.

Sewell at an NSN rally. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

He was released and is expected to be charged on summons.

A Baxter man, 23, and a 21-year-old Ashwood man were both arrested over allegations of serious racial vilification and “grossly offensive public conduct”.

The pair were also released and are expected to be charged on summons.

White supremacist Jacob Hersant this year became the first Victorian found guilty of performing the Nazi salute just days after the law was introduced.

He will be jailed after he performed the salute on the steps of the County Court last October and his sentence will be decided at a later date.

Originally published as Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell among four arrested in police sting