Group of 14 men charged after alleged affray at Indigenous protest site Camp Sovereignty named in court
More than a dozen men accused of participating in an alleged neo-Nazi led attack on an Indigenous Australian protest and cultural site have been named in court.
More than a dozen men charged by police over alleged involvement in a neo-Nazi led outbreak of violence at Camp Sovereignty have been named in court.
The 14 men were listed to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning for a committal mention, the majority choosing to attend in person while several others appeared by videolink.
They were: Thomas Sewell, 32, Nathan Matthew Bull, 24, Timothy Holger Lutze, 35, Billy Michael Conheady, 26, Haymish Busscher, 18, Jake Crockett, 20, Zack Steven Dewaard, 19, Augustus Coolie Hartigan, 22, Jaeden Bernard Johnson, 29, Michael Nelson, 22, Michael Saarinen, 18, Ryan Williams, 35, Yan Zakharin, 20, and Blake Cathcart, 30.
Each is facing charges including violent disorder and affray and none of the men have been required to enter pleas.
It is alleged the men were involved in a violent affray at Kings Domain in Melbourne on August 31, where at least three people allegedly suffered injuries.
During a bail application by Mr Sewell, the national head of neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network (NSN), the Supreme Court of Victoria was told prosecutors allege he led a group of 30 men to attack occupants of Camp Sovereignty after the March for Australia anti-immigration rally in Melbourne’s CBD, with similar rallies held elsewhere around the country.
It was alleged the group were representing the NSN and were “instructed” by Mr Sewell to confront those present at Camp Sovereignty, a cultural and protest site for Indigenous Australians.
Mr Sewell argued in court Camp Sovereignty had been used as a “staging ground” to launch attacks on the NSN throughout the day’s protests and alleged members of his group had their cars defaced.
He was released on bail after 72 days in custody on the charges on November 13, despite police raising fears his behaviour was escalating.
In court on Tuesday, Magistrate Donna Bakos said 10 of the men had enlisted legal representation and had requested their cases be adjourned for “various reasons”.
“Universally there are discussions and offers on foot,” she said, giving parties until February 10 to exhaust discussions on how the charges could be resolved.
Ms Bakos adjourned each of the accused men’s cases until that date.
Outside of court, Mr Sewell claimed his group had been attacked by media and the police, and accused of being terrorists while “antifa terrorists” were given lenient treatment.
Asked about his group’s political ambitions, Mr Sewell claimed his proposed political party, White Australia, had the numbers to form a party.
“We have already begun the process of registering. We have 3400 people that are supporting us now on paper and we have at least 1500 of them registered to register a party. We have the numbers now, it’s really about whether the AEC will accept our application.”