Latest news with #NaziSymbol
ABC News
29-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell has one of his charges dropped in Adelaide court
A charge of using a Nazi symbol has been dropped against National Socialist Network leader Thomas Sewell. Mr Sewell, 31, was among 17 members of a group that was arrested after marching in Adelaide over the Australia Day long weekend. He appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, where a charge of using a Nazi symbol was withdrawn. He remains charged with one count of loitering. Mr Sewell previously told the court the arrests were "outright political persecution", and said that a non-contact clause imposed on his bail agreement was "disproportionate". Despite being granted permission to appear in court via phone, he attended in person and outside court said he intended to keep fighting "all the way to the High Court". He is scheduled to return to court next week for a pre-trial conference on the loitering charge. Another member of the group, Joel Thomas Davis, also appeared in person in the Adelaide Magistrates Court. A charge of using a Nazi symbol on Australia Day was withdrawn, while a second count of using a Nazi symbol, which is alleged to have occurred two days later, on January 28, remains. Outside court, he said he felt "vindicated" one of the charges had been withdrawn. He is next scheduled to return to court in July for a pre-trial conference. Earlier this month, Stephen Wells, who was among the group of men arrested during the Australia Day demonstration, had a charge of using a Nazi symbol dropped. The 55-year-old from Broadwater in Western Australia is no longer accused of any offending in relation to the demonstration, after a charge of loitering was withdrawn at an earlier hearing in March. Another of the men, Ethan Hendren, was convicted in his absence and discharged without further penalty for three charges, including using a Nazi symbol. He was ordered to pay a $1,080 victims of crime levy.
ABC News
18-05-2025
- ABC News
Man charged with 53 hate crimes in Sydney's inner west, including alleged spray-painting of Nazi symbol
A man has been charged with 53 hate-related crimes in Sydney's inner west, including the alleged spray painting of a Nazi symbol. The 21-year-old was arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning by police officers on patrol. He was spotted allegedly spray painting offensive graffiti on Crystal Street in Petersham over the top of stickers in support of First Nations communities and the LGBTQ+ community. NSW Police allege the man's offending started in late April. "It will be further alleged that the man has damaged and sprayed offensive messages on buildings and political posters commencing on Tuesday, 22 April, 2025, until the time of his arrest in the Erskineville and Newtown areas," they said in a statement. The man's charges include: Enter inclosed [sic] land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse; eight counts of intentionally mark premises etc without prescribed consent; 21 counts of knowingly display by public act Nazi symbol without excuse; and 23 counts of destroy or damage property. On April 29, Inner West Police Area Command appealed for information on social media after political posters were defaced in Newtown, Enmore and Erskineville. At the time, they wrote that "27 political posters, two structures and a sign outside a hotel" had been vandalised, with some of the items "subject to forensic examination". Felicity Moody is owner of the Wattle and Bee plant store in Petersham where the man was arrested. At the shop's entrance, below the welcome sign, there are four flags — the Trans, Rainbow, Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal flags — which had been sprayed over, in what Ms Moody described as "very hateful". "The police officer just happened to be driving past as he was attacking my shop," she said. "I'm very grateful, I was woken up at the middle of the night last night by the police to let me know." She added that all people were supported and welcomed in her shop, and it was important for her to show that. "Those flags have a lot of meaning, to not just myself but my customers. "I will definitely be replacing them; this is not going to put me off. If anything, it's just given me further ammunition to do what I do and be as welcoming and as accepting as I can." The man is due to appear at Newtown Local Court on Monday.
