A nationalist activist who has been in solitary confinement behind bars for more than a month on politically motivated loitering charges has spoken out in a letter from jail.
Stephen Wells, 56, was among 16 members of the National Socialist Network (NSN) who were arrested, charged with minor offences, refused bail and locked in solitary confinement for three days over a march through Adelaide on Australia Day.
Mr Wells then refused to sign a bail agreement with conditions including a ban on entering the Adelaide CBD and associating with other members of the NSN, and was put in isolation again at the Adelaide Remand Centre, where he has been ever since.
Members of the National Socialist Network sing Waltzing Matilda as they march through the Adelaide CBD on Australia Day.
Police later made multiple arrests. pic.twitter.com/czRIgdWKsX
— The Noticer (@NoticerNews) January 26, 2025
The Western Australian was then denied toiletries and refused food that fit his dietary requirements for his first week at the privately run prison, but is now being given 12 eggs a day.
He faced court twice last month in an attempt to be given bail, but rather than having his conditions loosened as expected they were made even worse, and as a result he again did not sign his bail application.
In a February 14 letter written to his wife and shared with Noticer News, Mr Wells asked her to publish a message explaining why he has not accepted the current bail conditions:
“I am well. I am not accepting any bail conditions that restrict my freedom of movement, freedom of association or freedom of speech. Either the presumption of innocence is backed up by the retention of a man’s liberties until after a trial or it is worthless and means nothing.
Being jailed for refusing to accept the bail conditions is simply a coercion tactic to try and compel me to legitimise the taking away of my rights. I lose them either way.
The jail may be worse in terms of suffering, but at least I am not consenting to be punished before trial.
It is not about winning or losing. It is about not submitting to evil no matter the personal cost.
When you consent to a lie, you lose part of yourself. You lose a part of your soul. Worse, it doesn’t stop the abuse. The abuse only gets worse.
First it is a mask. Then it is an injection. I chose to say no at the beginning. I chose to keep my soul intact regardless of the cost to my body or my ability to see my family.
If you have lost a part of your soul to them in the past by submitting to their coercion, take hope, you will regain all of it back and more if you stand firm next time. But the more times you submit, the harder and harder each next time becomes.
The sooner you stand your ground the easier it will be to hold your ground.”
Last week Mr Wells’ court hearing was moved from March 13 to April 17, meaning he will have spent almost three months in jail by the time his case is heard, on minor charges of fail to cease loiter and displaying a Nazi symbol (the NSN patch on his jacket).
He intends to fight the charges.
Friends of the family have started a GiveSendGo to fund Mr Wells’ defence, as his employment was terminated after his arrest, and his wife is a casual worker who cannot work full-time due to health issues, and is now struggling to pay her bills and legal fees.
Sixteen other NSN activists will also face court in Adelaide in coming weeks. Some are facing the same loitering charge as Mr Wells, while others were charged with possess article of disguise for wearing hats and sunglasses.
They include Thomas Sewell, who led the peaceful January 26 march where the group waved Australian flags and sung Waltzing Matilda, and prominent activist Joel Davis.
Mr Davis was not arrested during the march, but three days later while waiting for his colleagues outside court he was arrested and charged with two counts of displaying a Nazi symbol. The charges relate to his NSN patch and a belt with an eagle on it.
Header image: Left, Stephen Wells being arrested on Australia Day. Right, at an anti-child grooming protest in Perth (Nine News).
