Spitting mad: Council meeting protester is revealed as ‘extreme artist’ and former UTS student

GRAPHIC artist Nicky Minus has been charged by police after she allegedly spat on the administrator of the newly formed Inner West Council at a fractious first meeting on Tuesday.

• RIOT SQUAD CALLED TO FIERY COUNCIL MEETING
• WHO IS ADMINISTRATOR RICHARD PEARSON?
• KNITTING NANNAS HOLD UP NORTH COAST MEETING

GRAPHIC artist Nicky Minus has been charged by police after she allegedly spat on Richard Pearson, administrator of the newly formed Inner West Council, at a fractious first meeting on Tuesday night.

The meeting had to be called off amid ugly scenes.

Although Mr Pearson said yesterday he did not want to pursue charges against Ms Minus and James McCallum, who was captured on film knocking papers out of Mr Pearson’s hands, police today charged her.

Ms Minus now faces one count of offensive behaviour. The 26-year-old former UTS student was issued with a court attendance notice today to appear in Newtown Local Court on June 16.

Former UTS student Nicky Minus has been identified as the alleged spitter. Picture: Supplied

It is understood Ms Minus is “freaking out” about her new found infamy, while Mr McCallum told the Daily Telegraph yesterday he believed what he did was justifiable peaceful protesting.

“I believe what I did was peaceful, called for, productive, it was an action designed to protect the community in the public interest. I regret that Pearson was assaulted,” he said.

“I can’t speak for the young woman and I denounce her actions as does members of the community I’ve spoken to. I denounce her actions as deplorable, violent and gross.”

Inner West Council Administrator Richard Pearson said yesterday that he would not be pressing charges.

Riot police had to move in on Tuesday as a rowdy crowd, egged on by NSW Greens MP Jamie ­Parker and others, forced the abandonment of the meeting, the first after the Baird government sacked Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield councils to form the new authority.

The protest mob vented their anger at the merger and new WestConnex motorway, and jeered loudly as Mr Pearson attempted to read the Welcome to Country.

Mr Parker refused to condemn Ms Minus’ actions yesterday and tried to claim he didn’t see her spit, despite clear video evidence showing him watching it.

The Greens MP for Newtown, Jenny Leong, cheered the chaos, posting on Facebook: “Amazing effort — the campaign for local democracy and to stop Westconnex will continue.”

The fallout continued last night as the newly-merged Inner West council called off a planned citizenship ceremony.

Ms Minus, who produced a UTS honours project called Shame: Self Portrait, has also made a comic called Jerks.

After being spat on, Mr Pearson had his papers knocked from his hands by James McCallum. Picture: Bryant Hevesi

Protesters were demanding the state government reverse the amalgamation. Picture: Bryant Hevesi

“I generally immerse myself in art that is more extreme, sexual, violent, or unsettling in some way, and this influences the work I make,” Ms Minus said in a recent interview.

“I spend a lot of brain time obsessing over that work and questioning why I like it so much.”

One image she has produced, the title of which is too graphic to print, shows men and women in an orgy.

Ms Minus revealed her mucky comics led some to call her the “queen of seed” and that a printer once refused to print her work because it was too obscene. She appeared to have ­deleted her social media accounts last night and did not respond to a request for ­comment.

Another protester at the centre of Tuesday night’s scenes, Dulwich Hill resident James McCallum, condemned Ms Minus’s spitting.

Mr McCallum childishly knocked ­papers out of Mr Pearson’s hands as he attempted to leave the meeting amid jeers and boos, but defended his right to protest.

James McCallum.

Nicky Minus.

“I denounce her actions as deplorable, violent and gross,” he told The Daily Telegraph, while not apologising for his own aggressive actions.

Mr McCallum recently confronted Roads Minister Duncan Gay at a press conference in Martin Place.

A dignified Mr Pearson said he would not press charges against Ms Minus for spitting.

“It’s unpleasant, it’s unwarranted. I’m sure all reasonable people would think it’s the case. It occurred, I moved on, I’m getting on with trying to get this council to work,” he said.

Local Government Minister Paul Toole described the “Greens-led” protests as “nothing short of repulsive and disgusting”, while Premier Mike Baird demanded that all the MPs present at the protest apologise.

“This behaviour was absolutely disgusting. We saw a loyal public servant getting on with the job of delivering benefits to the local community being subjected to appalling discourtesy,” Mr Baird said.

LISTEN TO THE TOP NEWS STORIES TODAY

Mr Parker, the state Greens MP for Balmain, was shown on video having a clear view of Ms Minus spitting at Mr Pearson, but he still insisted he didn’t see the spit.

“I didn’t see any of that. ­Obviously it was an animated crowd because they’ve had their democracy stolen,” he said.

Greens MLC David Shoebridge condemned the action.

“Nobody could condone those actions — disgraceful actions — on behalf of one individual,” he said.

Cartoonist Warren Brown’s view.