David Cole, Lurnpa Tjambatjimba: Airport arrest over alleged missing mask

Security called into courtroom over an alleged missing mask and an anti-vaxxer’s accusations of ‘war crimes’, ‘treason’ and ‘slavery’.

AN ALLEGED missing mask at an airport has led to accusations of “war crimes”, “treason” and “slavery” and security being called during a bizarre courtroom appearance in Darwin.

Prominent anti-vax conspiracist and self-proclaimed “sovereign tribal man” David Alan Cole appeared in Darwin Local Court on Wednesday.

He asked to be referred to as Lurnpa Tjambatjimba, and accused the prosecutor of committing a “war crime” when he used the wrong name.

Tjambatjimba was accused of contravening an emergency declaration, failing to give his name and address and resisting police during an arrest in Darwin Airport in September 2021.

Body cam footage allegedly showed a maskless, tie-dye T-shirt wearing Tjambatjimba handing four officers “contracts”, swearing at them and refusing to hand over a valid ID.

“You don’t have authority and if you touch me it’s an assault,” Tjambatjimba told officers.

“F —king scum dogs”, “sly c —ts” and “I don’t give consent” he yelled as he was pinned down.

One of the officers told the court Tjambatjimba had resisted by pinning his fist underneath his body to avoid the handcuffs.

He said this position made it almost “impossible” to remove someone without either the person or arresting officers being hurt.

In the first day of a hearing — which is suspected to stretch out for days — the Territory’s deputy chief health officer testified against Tjambatjimba’s Covid, mask and vaccine “conspiracies”.

David Alan Cole, aka ‘Lurnpa Tjambatjimba’ at Darwin Local Court.

Dr Charles Pain told the court that he had implemented pandemic measures, including restrictions on movement and mask wearing.

“I needed to determine whether the measures necessary or appropriate and desirable or not,” Dr Pain said.

“Mask wearing has been incredibly important. It’s a relatively limited restriction on an individual’s freedom that provides them with protection and provides other people protection.”

Dr Pain said there was strong evidence that showed a 60 per cent reduction in the risk of being infected and an 80-90 per cent reduction in the chance of passing it on to another person.

Dr Pain said his team had always sought legal and “proportionate responses” to the global pandemic, which has killed 9217 Australians, including 52 Territorians.

“We have inevitably, through our actions, restricted freedom,” he said.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Charles Pain. Picture Julianne Osborne

“That’s undeniable that the balance we had to strike was always very carefully struck based on evidence and based on the best possible (medical and legal) advice that we had at the time.

Tjambatjimba said he knew “nothing” about medicine, but that did not stop him making exaggerated claims about Covid.

Dr Pain refuted numerous “conspiracies” suggested by Tjambatjimba, who suggested the pandemic was a fraud between Bill Gates, the World Health Organisation all the way down to hospital admin workers and journalists, and that there had been mass deaths caused by the vaccine.

“It’s an extraordinary statement of conspiracy,” Dr Pain said.

“To sustain the belief that all of those people were involved in a grand conspiracy really defies logic.

“The evidence is so overwhelmingly against that statement.

“Based on my experience over the last few years, that is quite ridiculous.”

“To the issue of vast numbers of the numbers of deaths you’re suggesting, If there were evidence for that, it would be before me.

“So that is completely untrue.”

Tjambatjimba also claimed the case was a “state sanctioned, taxpayers funded, private attack on me” after Dr Pain told the court this was the first time testifying in court as the deputy chief health officer.

“And I know that youse are stitching me up … I’m here under duress,” he said.

Tjambatjimba did not wear shoes as he paced up and down the carpeted floors of the courtroom.

David Alan Cole, aka ‘Lurnpa Tjambatjimba’ at Darwin Local Court..

For the entire two and a half hour court hearing Tjambatjimba refused to approach the bench, did not enter a plea, and repeatedly called the whole process “unlawful”.

“These courts are complicit in war crimes and slavery here today against me,” he said.

He accused Judge Ben O’Loughlin of committing “fraud” and “treason” and demanded to see his oath of office.

“I will be putting a judicial review of your actions here today and proceed to probably prosecute you.”

When Mr O’Loughlin rejected Tjambatjimba’s jurisdictional challenges. the anti-vaxxer questioned: “On what basis, your honour?”.

“That they are nonsense,” Mr O’Loughlin replied.

Mr O’Loughlin had to call in security after one of Tjambatjimba’s supporters and self-proclaimed human rights advocate, Craig Oldroyd refused to stop speaking.

“I’m allowed to address you. … I’m a private individual. I’m a living soul. I’m a man of God. I invoke the power and authority of Jesus Christ over this court and any hearing in here today,” Mr Oldroyd said.

When Judge O’Loughlin called for more security, Mr Oldroyd sat down while muttering “you have been put on notice”.

The matter was adjourned to Monday to work out the next sitting dates to hear evidence from the other witnesses.