Alleged Australia Day National Socialist Network neo-Nazis face Adelaide court
The alleged leader of an Australian neo-Nazi group has fronted court in a combative mood, hitting out at the police, journalists, the court system and what he called “political persecution”.
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The alleged leader of an Australian neo-Nazi outfit fronted court in a fiery mood on Tuesday, claiming journalists might “firebomb” his house and hitting out at what he called “political persecution”.
Thomas Sewell, the leader of the white supremacist the National Socialist Network (NSN), told Magistrate Luke Davis the police were telling “spurious lies” about him and indicated he would plead not guilty to the charges of loitering and displaying a Nazi symbol following his group’s Australia Day protest in Adelaide on Sunday.
Some 40 male members of the NSN – an avowedly fascist enterprise – stormed the CBD, chanting “white man fight back” and singing “Waltzing Matilda”.
The men dressed in black and wore dark sunglasses.
South Australian police arrested 16 members, including a 16-year-old boy, and the alleged extremists appeared at Adelaide Magistrates Court on a suite of charges from loitering and wearing articles of disguise to displaying Nazi symbols and resisting arrest.
Loitering carries a maximum penalty of three months in prison and displaying a Nazi symbol holds a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison.
Mr Davis granted Mr Sewell bail at a home in Victoria - but Mr Sewell indicated he did not want his address read out in open court before the media.
“I’d rather not have my house firebombed by journalists who pass my address on to their friends,” he claimed.
He also said he and his NSN associates were the victims of “outright political persecution” and indicated he would not agree to the bail conditions set out by Mr Grant, which include a prohibition of any further association or contact between members of the NSN.
“I have not broken any crime,” he said.
“I have not broken the law at any stage.”
During his appearance, Stephen Wells appeared shirtless from the cells and told Mr Davis he did not accept the court “jurisdiction” over him.
“I do not accept any negotiation on this matter,” Mr Wells said.
“I do not accept the jurisdiction of this court.
“You can do with me what you wish.”
Mr Wells indicated he would submit formal complaints against the South Australian Police.
Another man, Sean Roberts, pleaded guilty to a charge of loitering.
Mr Davis recorded the conviction and punished Roberts with time already served in the watch-house.
The police allege Sewell sported a Nazi symbol on the day, namely an Arrow Cross star linked to a Hungarian fascist party with Nazi associations.
The South Australian parliament outlawed the display of Nazi symbols or salutes following a sharp and sudden increase in anti-Semitic expression across the country following the terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The law came into effect in December 2024.
Mr Davis noted Sewell had indicated to the court he was not prepared to sign a bail agreement.
Police allege the NSN is preparing for a “race war” and hopes to usher in a white supremacist ethnostate.
The court heard the men said they wore black outfits to “represent the ideal of national socialism” and eliminate their individual identities.
Mass arrests
The majority of the arrested men are from interstate and their ages range from 16 to 57.
Mr Davis granted bail to all of them with strict conditions.
The men are prohibited from entering Adelaide’s metropolitan area while their cases move through the courts and they are prohibited from any contact with other members of the NSN or the Euro Australian movement, another domestic fascist outfit.
White supremacist slogans such as “blood and honour” could be heard shouted from the cells as some of the men moved into the videolink.
The following men appeared in court on Tuesday:
Shannen George Bartel, 24, SA
Charge: Loitering
Mr Bartel works as a removalist.
Next court date: March 12
Ethan Hendren, 23, Victoria
Charges: State false personal detail, hinder or resist police
Next court date: March 21
Thomas Sewell, 31, VIC
Loitering, display a Nazi symbol
Next court date: March 25
Next court date: March 13
Nathan Bull, 23, VIC
Charge: Carry offensive weapon or article of disguise
Next court date: March 14
Jacob Glen Cooper, 29, NSW
Charge: Loitering
Next court date: March 17
Richard Tinsley, 36, QLD
Charge: Loitering
Next court date: March 13
Logan Boucher, 25, TAS
Charge: Loitering
Next court date: March 27
Mason James Robbins, 30, WA
Charges: Carry offensive weapon or article of disguise, use Nazi symbol
Next court date: March 11
Alexander Zaslavsky, 25
Charge: Carry offensive weapon or article of disguise
Next court date: March 20
Stephen Wells, 55, WA
Charge: Loitering
James Allan Holliday, 25, WA
Charges: Carry offensive weapon or article of disguise, use Nazi symbol, person, give Nazi salute
Next court date: March 18
Sean Roberts, 21, NSW
Charge: Loitering
Roberts pleaded guilty to a charge of loitering.
Mr Davis recorded the conviction and punished Roberts with time already served in the watch-house.
Roberts was released from custody.
Graham Connolly, 41, VIC
Charges: Hinder or resist police, loitering
Next court date: March 25
Matthew Pullen, 31, NSW
Charges: Carry offensive weapon or article of disguise
Joel Davis, 29, VIC
Charges: Display a Nazi symbol.
PM condemns ‘hateful’ scenes
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has slammed the actions of the NSN as “hateful” and commended the response of South Australia Police.
“They were horrific scenes yesterday, to have people openly identifying as neo-Nazis and fascists, white supremacists marching through our streets,” he said on Monday.
“I congratulate the SA Pol on the action that they took. There is no place for this hateful ideology in Australia or, indeed, anywhere else.”
An NSN supporter, appearing outside the court, said he thought it was an “honour” to march down Adelaide’s North Terrace on Australia Day.
“To celebrate our nation’s history, to pay respect to our ancestors,” he said.
He said he was a “proud” neo-Nazi.
Originally published as Alleged Australia Day National Socialist Network neo-Nazis face Adelaide court
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