Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has labelled prominent neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell a “goon” after he gatecrashed her media conference with an expletive-laden tirade.
Allan was speaking to media about working-from-home laws in a West Melbourne park on Tuesday morning when Sewell, leader of the National Socialist Network and a speaker at the anti-immigration rally in Melbourne on Sunday, interrupted her.
“Hey, Jacinta Allan, why don’t Australians have the right to protest? Why do you want to ban us from protesting,” he called out, flanked by associate Nathan Bull.
Several men stepped in to keep Sewell away from Allan as she, state Treasurer Jaclyn Symes and upper house Labor MP Sheena Watt walked away.
“Don’t put your f—ing hands on me. You don’t have the right,” Sewell shouted at the men.
“Shouldn’t people have the right to speak in their own country, you coward … You’re a coward and we’re going to take this country back from politicians like you.”
Sewell ended Tuesday’s tirade with “Heil Australia” and told journalists the interaction was a “coincidence”.
“We’re on our way to court right now,” he said.
Journalists had asked Allan about Sunday’s “March for Australia” in Melbourne, at which Sewell was controversially allowed to speak.
Allan revealed she was convening the state government’s anti-hate task force for a meeting this week in response to the nationwide anti-immigration rallies.
As Sewell accosted Allan, he claimed there were 50,000 people at Sunday’s march in Melbourne, and that had come up to shake his hand.
Police estimated the Melbourne crowd at 5000, with 12 people arrested.
Sewell was also reportedly among the group of protesters who stormed an Indigenous camp in the city on Sunday afternoon after the so-called “March for Australia” rally.
Video shows a group of men wearing black attacking people at the camp at Kings Domain, tearing down an Aboriginal flag and chanting, “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi oi, oi”. Four people were injured, including two hospitalised with head wounds.
Following the interrupted press conference, Allan released a statement saying she was “unharmed and undeterred” by the events.
“We know how these goons operate,” she said.
“They whip up fear to divide our society. They will fail.”
“It comes as no surprise that Nazis oppose me and my government. I wear that as a badge of honour.”
Allan declared there was “no place for hate in our state”. She said Victoria’s anti-hate laws, due to come into effect this month, would protect community members targeted by the far right.
“Whoever you are, whoever you love, whoever you pray to – I’ll always fight for your right to belong.”
Sewell later fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court on charges of intimidating police and breaching multiple personal intervention orders.
On the first day of the contested hearing on Monday, Magistrate Michelle Hodgson ruled Sewell, who is representing himself, could not question an officer about their political views.
Sewell argued it was relevant to his defence and complained about the police brief of evidence, including a description of his political views.
At one point, Hodgson told Sewell to stop yelling at her.
The hearing continues.
Also on Tuesday afternoon, The Age newspaper reported that Sewell and two associates were arrested outside court on charges related to the Camp Sovereignty attack.
About 10 of Sewell’s supporters and 25 police and protective services officers had gathered outside the court before the arrests.
According to The Age, one of those arrested was wearing a jacket that said, “F— off we’re full”.
-with AAP
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