Verdict

On Thursday, Magistrate James FitzGerald found Jacob Hersant, Nathan Bull, Michael Nelson, and Ian Lomax guilty of behaving in an offensive manner in public. The charges stem from disruptions during an Anzac Day dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne in 2025.

Disruption

The group booed and yelled racist slogans when Indigenous elder Mark Brown conducted a Welcome to Country ceremony. The heckling was audible to thousands gathered to honor fallen soldiers.

Magistrate's Reasoning

Magistrate FitzGerald acknowledged differing community views on Welcome to Country ceremonies but stated that booing at an Anzac Day service was beyond reasonable doubt offensive, given the event's "hushed and reverential nature."

The magistrate said the behavior prevented attendees from commemorating the national moment and would arouse significant anger, resentment, outrage, disgust, or hatred in a reasonable person.

Legal Basis

The magistrate found the booing violated Victoria's Summary Offences Act. Two alternative charges under the Shrine of Remembrance Act were dismissed.

Sentencing

The hearing continues, with legal arguments on sentencing. First-time offenders may face up to two months' jail or a fine of up to $2,000.

Individuals

• Jacob Hersant, Nathan Bull, and Michael Nelson are known white supremacists. Hersant was previously convicted for performing a Nazi salute and for violent disorder.
• Ian Lomax, a Ballarat dentist, was suspended from practice due to alleged connections to neo-Nazi rallies.

The defendants argued their actions were political speech against Welcome to Country ceremonies. Hersant stated, "We weren't booing Anzac Day."

Witness Testimony

A witness testified she was "upset and disgusted" by the disruption.

Background

Hersant was a senior figure in the National Socialist Network (NSN), a neo-Nazi group later listed as a prohibited hate group by the federal government.