Infamous activist Eric Serge Herbert ‘called for street party to celebrate Queen’s Covid diagnosis’

Controversial Sydney activist Eric Serge Herbert has been granted bail after police arrested him over creating a social media post calling for a street party to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Covid diagnosis.

Controversial Sydney activist Eric Serge Herbert has been granted bail after police arrested him over creating a social media post that called for a street party to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Covid diagnosis and urged people to “rejoice by dancing”.

Herbert, 23, of Summer Hill, was taken into custody on Tuesday after a climate protest group called Fireproof Australia had earlier shut down Mosman’s Spit Bridge during the morning peak hour.

But Herbert – who is an organiser of Fireproof Australia – was taken into custody by police over the social media post targeting the Queen and not what happened on the Spit Bridge.

Eric Serge Herbert catches up with the latest in The Daily Telegraph outside Burwood Court. Picture: John Grainger

Eric Serge Herbert has previously been associated with environmental activist groups Extinction Rebellion and Blockade Australia. Picture: AAP Image/Glenn Hunt

Herbert was sentenced over a series of protests in November 2021 in which activists climbed on top of coal trains and parked across rail tracks in the Hunter. Picture: Blockade Australia/Facebook

He is currently on bail over an unrelated matter after he appealed a 12-month prison sentence given to him last year for his part in disrupting coal trains in Newcastle.

Police accused him of breaching those bail conditions by posting the event about the Queen and made a detention application.

The post calls for people to dance along Newtown’s King St at 7pm this Saturday and is entitled: “KILL THE QUEEN – pro covid/anti monarchy STREET PARTY”.

Fireproof Australia blocked Northern Beaches commuters crossing the Spit Bridge on Tuesday morning.

“The Queen has Covid … Rejoice by dancing in the road on King Street as we imagine the corpse of the oppressors being mangled beneath our feet,” the event’s page states.

“It’s about time we overthrow the queen and the rule of the monarchy.

“We need sound systems, lots of glitter, tools to dig up the road, tires of barricades, fire and rage.

A number of the Fireproof Australia activists were detained by police over the unauthorised protest. Picture: Tim Hunter

The blockade resulted in traffic chaos during peak hour. Picture: Tim Hunter

“Obviously BYO and bring your party game … This is a celebration and a prayer for the death of the queen.”

Herbert spent the night in the cells at Burwood police station before appearing in Burwood Local Court on Wednesday.

Police pressed for Herbert to remain in custody and argued there was a risk to the safety of the community in relation to the planned protest against the Queen. .”

On social media, protesters claimed road blockades were the only was to achieve change. Picture: Facebook

But defence lawyer Mark Davis said Herbert did not admit a breach of his bail conditions and argued the post about the Queen was not supposed to be taken seriously.

Mr Davis also said there was no genuine intention for the event to occur and that Herbert has a 6pm curfew anyway.

“I’ll put this bluntly because I think it needs to be – this is a comedic post, it’s an ironic post,” Mr Davis said.

“I don’t deny he holds no fondness for the Queen, he may be delighted to hear the Queen has Covid, as he is free to do if he has that opinion.

“But to elevate it to some form of serious protest that’s about to fall on the streets of Sydney, without any evidence other than a Facebook (post), is not becoming of police.”

In granting Herbert bail, Magistrate Joy Boulos urged him to avoid social media.

“I find the breach is not established … he has no intention of going to the party, he was simply expressing himself on Facebook as many young people do these days, whether it’s wrong or right,” Ms Boulos said.

“I want you to resist any attempt at engaging on social media.”

Herbert will return to the Newcastle District Court in relation to his appeal matter next month.