Nationalist activists Thomas Sewell and Nathan Bull 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 and Mr Bull were then arrested 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.
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.
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.
Header image: Left, right, the arrests in progress (supplied).
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