Kurt Ruzsicska, Territory Windscreens owner in court over alleged anti-vax activity

It was a bizarre court appearance as alleged anti-vaxxers threatened to take their case to The Hague and compare their case to the Nazi war crimes trials.

UPDATE FEB 11: ALLEGED anti-vaxxers have threatened to take their case to The Hague, invoked the Nazi war crimes trials and challenged the authority of the entire Territory court system in a bizarre administrative hearing.

Kurt Karl Ruzsicska, 46, appeared in Darwin Local Court on Friday over charges of taking part in a riot and hindering a member of the police force on November 6 last year.

Police alleged Ruzsicska took part in the anti-mandate demonstration, which took a violent turn with officers exchanging pepper spray for abuse, rocks and an unknown chemical substance allegedly thrown by protesters.

In a pre-prepared statement, the 46-year-old claimed the charges against him were “oppressive” and called for them to be dismissed.

“I have been charged over what is considered to be a fundamental Australian right, that is the right of political communication,” Ruzsicska said.

“That right is recognised by your superior court.

Kurt Karl Ruzsicska, who has been charged with taking part in a riot and hindering a member of the police force, appeared in Darwin Local Court on Friday, February 11. Picture: Zizi Averill.

“These matters should be dismissed immediately as they are a poor reflection on the state of democracy in the NT.”

Judge Thomasin Opie interrupted him, pointing out that the purpose of his appearance was purely administrative.

Ruzsicska was given a further directions hearing on February 18.

Prosecutors indicated they would intend to file a bail application against the alleged rioter, a move Ruzsicska claimed was “egregious”.

Territory Windscreens owner, Stephen Anthony Arrigo and his son Dylan Arrigo also appeared before Ms Opie.

Stephen told the court he, his family and his business had been attacked because of his personal beliefs.

“I would like to bring to the court’s attention the issues in relation to these mandates, which are being heard in The Hague, the International Criminal Courts,” Stephen said.

“My matter will be attached to these complaints.”

Stephen, who was charged with contravening an emergency declaration, failing to give his name and address and walking without due care on local roads, called his case a “Nuremberg 2.0”.

He said he would also be filing a ”78B”, which challenges the jurisdiction of the courts to decide with the Attorneys-General forced to consider the matter.

His son, Dylan, said he would also be contesting the charge of failing to cease to loiter.

Ms Opie listed it for a further mention on March 4, with a final hearing expected in September.

Police are expected to call 15 witnesses against both Arrigos.

The trio of alleged anti-vaxxers were joined by a group of largely unmasked supporters in the court gallery, including one man in a ‘CU in the NT’ mask and a yellow ‘unvaccinated’ star lapel — a reference to the badges Jewish people were forced to wear under Nazi Germany.

Alleged anti-vax chemical sprayer faces Darwin court

FEB 7: THE lawyers of a man accused of throwing a mystery chemical substance at police officers during an anti-mandate riot said expert evidence had not been provided to them.

Thomas Charles Hewitt-Jones appeared in Darwin Local Court on Monday, facing allegations of assaulting police, rioting and contravening an emergency declaration on the now notorious November 6 anti-mandate conflict.

Hewitt-Jones did not wear a mask during his court hearings, sat with his legs crossed and his arms folded as his lawyer, Koulla Roussos called for prosecutors to hand over evidence.

Ms Roussos said prosecutors had not shared witness statements, body worn camera footage, medical or expert statements.

Prosecutors told the court that the chemical substance alleged to have been thrown at police was “still unknown”.

Ms Roussos said her client denied all charges. His case is expected to hear from nearly a dozen witnesses over a two-day hearing in June.

Prosecutors tried to allege Hewitt-Jones was a flight-risk as he was on a visa, however Ms Morris said they provided no evidence for this.

Ms Roussos distanced Hewitt-Jones from other alleged rioters, telling Judge Elizabeth Morris they were not his “co-accused”.

He was not the only alleged rioter to appear before Ms Morris. Nickolas Nicolakis faced five charges, including contravention of an emergency declaration, take part in a riot, assaulting and hindering police.

Nikola Karpathios wore his disposable mask underneath his chin as his directions hearing was set for charges associated with the riot and alleged bail violation.

He was charged with contravention of an emergency declaration, taking part in a riot, assaulting and hindering a member of the police force, and going armed in public.

In November Karpathios appealed to the court for a variation to his bail so he could attend his own wedding the Greek Church in Darwin.

‘Conspiracy’ claims from anti-vaxxers in court

FEB 1: A PROMINENT anti-vaxxer and sovereign citizen has lashed out at the court accusing it of targeting his children as part of a vast conspiracy against him.

David Cole was in the courtroom in support of his 23-year-old son, Tristan Cole who appeared for a first mention in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday.

Police will allege Tristan gave misleading information to an authorised officer in Darwin on Monday, January 3.

As his matter was called the 23-year-old clutched a black notebook and read aloud a pre-prepare statement. 

“I am the executive administrator of the constructed trust known as Tristan Anthony Lee Cole,” he said.

“I am making a special appearance under duress.”

Tristan said he would be representing himself in the matter, and his father indicated he would be filing a “78B jurisdictional challenge”.

Tristan Cole, 23, was accused of giving misleading information to an authorised officer. Picture: Zizi Averill 

This refers to a 119-year-old piece of Commonwealth legislation, the Judiciary Act 1903, and is a challenge over the interpretation of the Australian Constitution that requires the matter to be considered by the Attorneys-General.

Mr Cole went on to accuse Judge Ben O’Loughlin of being part of a “conspiracy” targeting his children for his outspoken political beliefs.

“Can I have a few kind words with you?,” he began “This is a vexatious litigation against my children.”

“Because of my political position, the police, Michael Gunner, are all conspiring to set up my entire family to discredit me as a man.

“(They’re) going for my children and using your jurisdiction in your courts … is not only a dishonour to you, you Honour, it’s a dishonour to the court.”

The outspoken anti-vaxxer wore his mask beneath his nose as described the vast plot to discredit him, and called for the charges against his children to be dropped.

“I would like to give the prosecution an opportunity to withdraw all the charges against my children,” Mr Cole said.

“Because it’s been set up, and it’s been deliberate, it’s been politically motivated by corporate agents that do not like me speaking the truth about the illegitimacy of the judicial system.”

Prominent anti-vaxxer David Cole appeared in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, February 1, in support of his 23-year-old son, Tristan Cole who was accused of giving misleading information to an authorised officer. Picture: Zizi Averill 

Mr O’Loughlin interrupted Mr Cole to tell him that he needed to contact the prosecutors if Tristan wanted the case dropped, and he could “flesh out” his argument in the next hearing date on March 18.

The Coles were not the only sovereign citizens to appear before Mr O’Loughlin on Tuesday.

Moments earlier the grandmother of a man accused of drug possession told Mr O’Loughlin that she was ready to “challenge your jurisdiction”.

Police will allege Messiah Lorence Muhummad Abdat Taylor, 19, was in possession of cannabis and tried to supply drugs while in Darwin on October 27, 2021.

But his grandmother claimed Taylor could not be sentenced by the court because “we are national non-citizens”.

“We have no treaty, no goodwill. You should be waiting for a treaty,” she said.

“Everything should cease.”

Mr O’Loughlin set a hearing date for March 15.

“You will need a hearing date to run those arguments – I don’t like your prospects but I’m not going to rule on them today,” he said.

Originally published as Kurt Ruzsicska, Territory Windscreens owner in court over alleged anti-vax activity