Jacob Hersant, Nathan Bull and Michael Nelson: Neo-Nazis to fight allegations they disrupted Anzac Day Dawn Service

Three Victorian members of neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network are set to fight allegations they behaved offensively and disrupted an Anzac Day Dawn Service. Jacob Hersant, Nathan Bull and Michael Nelson returned on Thursday morning before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, where the case was set down for a five-day contested hearing in May next year. Police laid three charges against each of the three men in September after an alleged incident at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance on April 25. It’s alleged the trio were part of a small group that heckled a Welcome to Country by Bunurong man Uncle Mark Brown, who was booed while speaking to the crowd. In court, prosecutors said a fourth person was “likely to be charged” over the alleged incident. Mr Hersant, Mr Bull and Mr Nelson have each been charged with behaving in an offensive manner while in a public place, offend against decency while in the Shrine of Remembrance reserve and taking part in a disturbance in the reserve. They indicated plans to plead not guilty and fight the charges during a hearing on Monday. Prosecutors are expecting to call 13 witnesses during the five-day hearing next year, a mix of civilians and police officers. The trio were unrepresented in court, with magistrate Brett Sonnet urging them to “strongly” consider seeking legal help. “I strongly suggest you have legal representation in place so you can adequately defend (these charges),” Mr Sonnet said. Mr Bull and Mr Nelson also appeared on separate charges alleging they performed a banned Nazi gesture. The court was told this case was awaiting a decision in the County Court where Mr Hersant is challenging the constitutional validity of Victoria’s laws banning the gesture. Mr Hersant was the first person convicted of performing the gesture in the state and is appealing a one-month jail sentence. He was found to have performed the gesture in front of journalists and news cameras outside the Victorian County Court on October 27, 2023, just days after the Victorian parliament enacted the Nazi Salute Prohibition Bill. Judge Simon Moglia is expected to hand down a decision on Mr Hersant’s appeal on December 19.