Thomas Sewell: Neo-Nazi leader misses court appearance for alleged offensive behaviour during demonstration

Neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell has failed to appear in a Melbourne courtroom a day after his movement claims to have “fully disbanded” in response to the government’s proposed hate speech laws. Mr Sewell was due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday morning for a special mention, two weeks before he is expected to fight allegations he behaved in an offensive manner during a public demonstration. It is further alleged he used insulting words over a loudspeaker in public, with the incident recorded by a member of the public. Mr Sewell has indicated he intends to plead not guilty to both charges. The court was told the 32-year-old, who is self-represented, has previously announced plans to mount a constitutional defence to the charges and was required to serve notices to Australia’s Attorneys-General for this. Prosecutor Alex Turner said Monday’s court hearing was to check if this had been done, and raised concerns the hearing, listed to begin on February 4, would be unable to proceed without a response from the Attorneys-General. Magistrate Patrick Southey adjourned the special mention until Friday and asked Mr Turner to contact Mr Sewell. The court hearing came the day after Australia’s most prominent neo-Nazi group, the National Socialist Network led by Mr Sewell, claimed it would disband to avoid members facing legal trouble under proposed new legislation. “The National Socialist Network will be ully disbanded before 11.59pm Sunday the 18th of January 2026,” a letter signed by Mr Sewell and other high-profile white nationalists including Jacob Hersant and Jack Eltis reads. “The disbandment includes not only the National Socialist Network, but its co-projects White Australia, the European Australian Movement and the White Australia Party.” The letter labels the Federal Government’s proposed hate speech laws, prepared in response to the alleged Bondi terror attack, “draconian” before claiming the government was acting on behalf of the “Jewish lobby”. It signs of with the slogan “Blood and Honour” — used by the Hitler Youth in Nazi Germany. Under the Federal Government’s proposed legislation, the home affairs minister would be able to designate organisations found to be engaging in or advocating hate crimes based on race, nationality or ethnicity. It would also introduce criminal penalties for people found to be members of, or provide support to, prohibited hate groups. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has already named the National Socialist Network and radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir as organisations expected to be targeted under the new framework. “Two groups which through their spreading of hate, have a direct impact on increased risk on our national security environment, but have kept themselves just below the law,” he said on January 12. “They’ve kept themselves just below that threshold. This bill will lower that threshold, and lower that threshold to the extent that we can within the Constitution. We have had enough of organisations that hate Australia, playing games with Australian law.” Mr Sewell is expected to return to court on Friday.