Election 2022: Pro-Putin activist arrested

An ardent supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin has gatecrashed an event for the Liberal MP for Reid that was opened by Josh Frydenberg.

Liberal Reid MP Fiona Martin being ambushed by Simeon Boikov at another event.

An ardent Vladimir Putin supporter has been fined after gatecrashing an event for the Liberal MP for Reid that was opened by Josh Frydenberg.

YouTuber Simeon Boikov, who calls himself the Aussie Cossack, tried to gain access to the Drummoyne Sailing Club in Sydney’s inner west on Wednesday before venue staff called police about 4.50pm.

Mr Boikov has filmed himself trying to badger Reid MP Fiona Martin several times and uploaded the videos to his YouTube account where he has 150,000 subscribers.

A NSW police spokeswoman said Mr Boikov became “argumentative” with staff on Wednesday and refused to leave before he was arrested and taken to Burwood Police Station.

“Officers from Burwood Police Area Command spoke with the man, who continued to be argumentative and refused to leave when requested,” she said.

“The 32-year-old was arrested and taken to Burwood Police Station where he was ­issued an infringement notice for fail to quit.”

The Treasurer, who opened the event on behalf of Ms Martin, is understood to have arrived after Mr Boikov was removed from the club.

Sources said Mr Boikov, who is believed to live in Ms Martin’s electorate, filmed the latest encounter but the Vladimir Putin supporter had yet to upload the video on Wednesday evening.

He operates a Patreon account and solicits donations from Facebook followers.

Mr Boikov, who sneaked into federal parliament with assistance from Liberal turncoat Craig Kelly in February, has claimed Russia is attempting to liberate and not invade Ukraine.

Video uploaded in January last year shows Mr Boikov telling supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny they should be sent “to a firing squad” and a “gulag”.

He then said Mr Navalny’s supporters would be “bashed with batons and tactical boots” in Russia and Mr Navalny should be “liquidated” like Leon Trotsky. One of the intellectuals who overthrew the tsar in 1917, Trotsky was killed with an icepick.