Update 9pm: Thomas Sewell charged with violent disorder, affray, assault by kicking, discharge missile and other offences, and denied bail. Nathan Bull and other man arrested granted bail after being charged with violent disorder, affray and assault by kicking, and violent disorder, affray and discharge missile.
Nationalist activists Thomas Sewell and Nathan Bull and a third man have been arrested outside a Melbourne courthouse over an alleged clash with left-wing extremists.
Mr Sewell, the leader of political organisation While Australia, was at Melbourne Magistrates Court for day two of a three-day contested hearing to fight charges of allegedly intimidating a police officer, but the case was adjourned after the lunch break, reportedly due to threats from Communists to attack Mr Sewell.
The arrests came after two unidentified men entered the courtroom and got into a verbal altercation with Mr Sewell and his supporters that had to be broken up by about a dozen police officers, The Age reported.
Mr Sewell, Mr Bull and another man were then taken into custody outside court, and Victoria Police said the arrests were related to a clash between the National Socialist Network (NSN) and radical leftist activists at the Kings Domain after the March for Australia on Sunday afternoon.
Video from outside court shows about 25 police facing off with a small number of NSN members while Mr Sewell and Mr Bull, who was seen supporting Mr Sewell in court during the hearing, were handcuffed.
“This is what happens in the tyranny of Victoria, you’re under arrest for defending yourself,” Mr Sewell said during the arrest.
Both men were seen in video of the incident, which was sparked by left-wing extremist counter-protesters attacking March for Australia attendees as they returned to their cars after Sunday’s anti-immigration rally in Melbourne’s CBD and vandalising their cars.
About 70 members of the NSN then charged up a hill to confront the far-left group at so-called Camp Sovereignty, an illegal aboriginal encampment occupied by anti-Australian indigenous activists who are trying to seize the public park for themselves. No arrests were made on the day.
On Tuesday afternoon Jacob Herant, speaking as Acting Leader of White Australia, said in a statement on Telegram that he expected “more members will be raided and charged by the political police”.
“These charges arise from our organisation’s defending of patriotic rally-goers on August 31st from continued anti-fascist, communist and Palestinian attacks originating from the illegal, Aboriginal ‘Camp Sovereignty’,” he said.
“We expect Thomas will be remanded. We are organising a lawyer to do a bail hearing.
“We have the strength to advance despite all attacks from the system and their anti-fascist pets. Nothing will stop us.”
Thomas Sewell confronts Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan about her protest laws during a press conference.
“Why don’t Australians have the right to protest?” pic.twitter.com/tLNoV0KSAE
— The Noticer (@NoticerNews) September 1, 2025
Earlier on Tuesday Mr Sewell confronted Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan during a press conference, asking her “why don’t you think Australians should have the right to protest?”
Mr Sewell, who was walking to court when he saw the premier speaking to reporters, then asked: “Why do you want to ban us from protesting?”
“Shouldn’t we have the right to speak in our own country, you coward?” he continued.
“You’re a coward, and we’re going to take this country back from politicians like you. I never see anyone shake your hand. I had 500 people come up to me and shake my hand on the weekend, and there was 50,000 of us.”
Ms Allan’s new protest laws, which are not finalised, have been criticised by human rights groups and unions, and face being scaled back during parliamentary debate as a result.
The premier wants a ban on face coverings at protests, while the Coalition wants similar mask bans, stronger move-on laws and a protest permit system.
Mr Sewell and Mr Bull were also arrested during a march through Adelaide on Australia Day, and spent three days in solitary confinement before being granted bail.
Mr Bull had charges of “possess article of disguise” for carrying a hat and sunglasses dropped in April, and Mr Sewell had charges of “display Nazi symbol” for his NSN patch and “fail to cease loiter” dropped in June and July.
Header image: Left, right, the arrests in progress (supplied).
