Prominent Australian nationalist Joel Davis has been arrested over a Telegram post where he urged his followers to respond to a federal MP who had called for him to be prosecuted over a protest on X.
The National Socialist Network and White Australia activist, 30, was taken into custody by the Australian Federal Police in Sydney on Thursday afternoon, his electronic devices were seized, and he was and charged with “using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence”.
Mr Davis was refused bail and will face the NSW Bail Division Local Court on Friday.
The AFP said in a statement that a National Security Investigations (NSI) team “began an investigation after identifying an alleged menacing message” that “allegedly encouraged abusive and hateful messages to be directed towards a federal parliamentarian”.
The charge was laid over a post by Mr Davis, who was banned from X early this year without explanation, following a protest against Jewish lobby influence on Australian politics on November 8 outside NSW Parliament.
He linked an X post by Member for Wentworth Allegra Spender – where she called the rally “appalling” and demanded the protesters be prosecuted – and wrote in the caption: “Patriots – I bid thee to rhetorically rape Allegra Spender.”
Ms Spender said she had referred the post to law enforcement, and that she had a “lot of confidence” in the AFP, which admitted late last month that it was using its new NSI teams against the NSN even though they were a non-criminal and non-violent group.
Mr Davis later responded to criticism over the post by telling 9News he did not condone rape, emphasised his use of the word “rhetorically”, and said the media should focus on rapes committed by immigrants.
“It’s rhetorical, I said ‘rhetorical’, people should engage in spirited rhetoric, in a democracy we should convey ideas hotly, these are very important – this is about freedom of speech and the future of our nation,” he said.
Video:
Full Channel 9 interview with White Australia’s Joel Davis about the National Socialist Network’s “abolish the Jewish lobby” protest in Sydney on Saturday.
Only a few seconds made the 6pm news. pic.twitter.com/1deVQZmiis
— The Noticer (@NoticerNews) November 10, 2025
Last month Mr Davis was charged with “offensive behaviour” over a peaceful counter-protest at a far-left rally in Melbourne, in January he was arrested in Adelaide and is still fighting a “Nazi symbol” charge over a belt buckle with an eagle on it, and in December his home was raided over a protest where the NSN displayed a banner saying “Jews hate freedom”.
The arrest comes after another participant in the November 8 “abolish the Jewish lobby” protest, South African national Matthew Gruter, had his visa cancelled by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke at 10pm on Monday and was raided and taken to an immigration detention centre at 4am the next morning.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has also introduced new laws in response to the rally that aim to criminalise “Nazi ideology and conduct”, while Liberal MP Julian Leeser has demanded the federal government to review electoral laws in order to stop White Australia from forming a political party.
Header image: Left, right, Joel Davis at the Jewish lobby protest (supplied).
