South Australia Police have dropped charges against a nationalist activist who was arrested alongside 15 other men while celebrating Australia Day in Adelaide, and will pay his legal fees.
West Australian man Mason James Robbins, 30, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court by phone from Perth on Tuesday where prosecutors asked leave to withdraw charges of wearing an article of disguise and displaying a Nazi symbol, Nine News reported.
The latter charge was laid in relation to the National Socialist Network (NSN) patch worn by about 70 members of the right-wing activist group as they marched peacefully to Adelaide’s National War Memorial while waving Australian flags and singing Waltzing Matilda on January 26.
Video obtained by Noticer News shows nationalist activist Thomas Sewell being arrested seconds into a speech in front of the National War Memorial in Adelaide today.
“I am under arrest for celebrating Australia Day”, he says as police handcuff him. pic.twitter.com/Ac6unpgmTQ
— The Noticer (@NoticerNews) January 26, 2025
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The court was not told why the charges were withdrawn, and police – who agreed to pay Mr Robbins’ costs of $1,210 – declined to comment.
After their arrests Mr Robbins and the rest of the NSN members charged – except for Stephen Wells – spent three days in solitary confinement before being released on bail with conditions preventing them from entering Adelaide CBD or contacting others members and associates of their political group.
Mr Wells refused to accept the conditions and remains in isolation in the maximum security Adelaide Remand Centre, even though his initial charge of loitering has since been withdrawn at a bail hearing. He will face court on a single charge of displaying a Nazi symbol for his NSN patch on April 17.
Mr Robbins, who lost his job after the arrest and corporate media coverage, told Noticer News the dropping of the charges showed they were illegitimate in the first place and were only used to persecute his group for their political views.
“The police withdrawing these ridiculous charges confirms (what we already knew) that I was arrested for celebrating Australia Day, rather than committing any actual crime,” he said.
“I was charged and denied my right to politically associate because the South Australian government believes the police force is a tool to suppress their political opposition.
“We are proud White Australians. We love our country. Harassment and persecution will not make us waver in our beliefs.”
On March 5 South Australian man Shannen Bartel, 24, who is not an NSN member but was arrested while in the vicinity of the march, also had his charge of failing to cease loitering dropped, and SA Police agreed to pay an agreed amount of his costs.
Those due to face court this month include leader Thomas Sewell, and Joel Davis, who was arrested while waiting for his friends outside court and charged with displaying a Nazi symbol for the patch worn at the protest and an eagle on his belt.
Header image: Left, right, the NSN during the Australia Day celebration (supplied).
