Neo-Nazi Jacob Hersant pleads guilty to distributing white-nationalist stickers promoting Nazism and more

A notorious neo-Nazi posted offensive stickers across Melbourne, including ones that said ‘Australia for the white man’ and ‘white power’.

Jacon Hersant (right), faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court after distributing white-nationalist stickers throughout the CBD promoting Nazism and the National Socialist Network. Photo obtained by the White Rose Society.

A prominent figure in Melbourne’s neo-Nazi community has told a court white power stickers promoting Nazism weren’t racist or discriminatory.

North Melbourne man Jacob Hersant, 24, pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to posting bills without consent, after CCTV footage caught him distributing more than 50 stickers through the CBD in July last year.

The court heard Hersant got off a V-line train at Spencer St on July 13 where

CCTV cameras caught him distributing 56 stickers within the CBD, all promoting white supremacy, Nazism and the National Socialist Network (NSN).

Slogans on the stickers included “Australia for the white man”, “white power”, and “white revolution is the only solution”.

Stickers were found on tram stops, lamp posts, electricity poles, bus stops and a drinking fountain directly opposite a children’s playground.

Police officers came across some of the CBD stickers by chance on July 16, which led to further investigation.

The court heard a search warrant on Hersant’s home on July 21, uncovered a further 1328 stickers with the same and similar slogans and imagery, including anti-LGBTQIA messaging.

Police seized the stickers, a label printer and other items including a laptop and a moleskin notebook with pages proclaiming ‘Hitler was right’ and lyrics of the Nazi Party anthem.

The court heard at the time of this offending, Hersant was on bail for a serious indictable offence yet to be heard in the County Court.

This wasn’t Hersant’s first time in front of a magistrate, as he had been charged with similar offending in 2017 just after his 18th birthday.

Magistrate Tara Hartnett noted the impact his offending would have had, saying “the stickers would be offensive to most people in the community”.

Hersant rejected this, saying the stickers were for a “political creed”.

“They’re not against non-whites or Jews, they’re for whites,” he said.

Ms Hartnett said it was clear Hersant showed “no remorse” for his offending, but that he was entitled to a discounted sentence due to his guilty plea.

Hersant was fined $3000 with conviction.