Neo-Nazi Leader Thomas Sewell's Release Sparks Outrage as Protesters Confront Him Outside Court.
The neo-Nazi leader, who is accused of orchestrating violent attacks against Indigenous protesters in Melbourne, walked free from court after being released on bail. However, his freedom was short-lived as he was met with a barrage of insults and threats outside the courthouse.
Thomas Sewell, 32, had been held in remand for 72 days before a judge granted him bail on Thursday morning. The decision was seen as a victory for Sewell's defense team, who argued that any risk he posed to the community could be mitigated by strict bail conditions.
As Sewell left the court, wearing the logo of his neo-Nazi group, the National Socialist Network, on his sleeve, he was confronted by protesters shouting "Nazi scum, off our streets." The protesters, many of whom were from the Indigenous community, demanded that Sewell be brought to justice for his alleged role in leading violent attacks against them.
Sewell is charged with 25 offenses, including allegedly leading a group attack on a sacred First Nations site where several people were assaulted. He is accused of punching a protester, kicking another occupant, and discharging a missile at the camp.
Prosecutors had opposed Sewell's bail application, citing his history of hate crimes and acts of violence. The judge ultimately agreed with the defense team's submissions that any risk Sewell posed to the community could be addressed by bail conditions.
Sewell will now face strict conditions, including a curfew, restrictions on contacting co-accused, and bans on entering Melbourne's CBD and within 200 meters of King's Domain. He is also banned from leaving Victoria.
The decision has sparked outrage among Indigenous leaders and activists, who say it sends a message that the government is not taking hate crimes seriously enough. "This is a travesty," said one activist. "Thomas Sewell is still out there, planning and organizing more violence against our people."
The neo-Nazi leader, who is accused of orchestrating violent attacks against Indigenous protesters in Melbourne, walked free from court after being released on bail. However, his freedom was short-lived as he was met with a barrage of insults and threats outside the courthouse.
Thomas Sewell, 32, had been held in remand for 72 days before a judge granted him bail on Thursday morning. The decision was seen as a victory for Sewell's defense team, who argued that any risk he posed to the community could be mitigated by strict bail conditions.
As Sewell left the court, wearing the logo of his neo-Nazi group, the National Socialist Network, on his sleeve, he was confronted by protesters shouting "Nazi scum, off our streets." The protesters, many of whom were from the Indigenous community, demanded that Sewell be brought to justice for his alleged role in leading violent attacks against them.
Sewell is charged with 25 offenses, including allegedly leading a group attack on a sacred First Nations site where several people were assaulted. He is accused of punching a protester, kicking another occupant, and discharging a missile at the camp.
Prosecutors had opposed Sewell's bail application, citing his history of hate crimes and acts of violence. The judge ultimately agreed with the defense team's submissions that any risk Sewell posed to the community could be addressed by bail conditions.
Sewell will now face strict conditions, including a curfew, restrictions on contacting co-accused, and bans on entering Melbourne's CBD and within 200 meters of King's Domain. He is also banned from leaving Victoria.
The decision has sparked outrage among Indigenous leaders and activists, who say it sends a message that the government is not taking hate crimes seriously enough. "This is a travesty," said one activist. "Thomas Sewell is still out there, planning and organizing more violence against our people."
. I mean, I'm glad the system works for some people, but it's wild that Thomas Sewell gets to walk free with conditions. Like, what exactly are those conditions gonna prevent him from doing even more harm? The fact that he was able to get bail in the first place is just messed up 
. And now all these protesters have to deal with the stress and danger of confronting someone who's basically a hate machine 
. It's like, what's next? Are we just gonna let him off the hook because it's "easier" for everyone involved? I don't think so... it's time for some serious accountability 
.
just read about Thomas Sewell's release from court 
and I'm SHOOK! 32 yrs old and already 25 charges on him? that's a lot of hate crimes 
. curfew, restrictions on contact, no entering Melbourne CBD... seems like a pretty strict sentence to me 
. but what really gets me is that he's still out there planning and organizing more violence 
. 72 days in remand didn't seem to do much good either 
. stats show that hate crimes are on the rise 
, and now we've got a neo-Nazi leader walking free? it's a total nightmare 
. here's some charts to illustrate the problem:
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Thomas Sewell walking around with his neo-Nazi logo on his sleeve, giving me major creepy vibes 
And now he's free to cause more harm? 
. And now that he's free, it's just going to embolden him and his neo-Nazi friends to keep causing trouble. The government needs to step up its game and show that hate crimes won't be tolerated 
. I'm also worried about the protesters who confronted Sewell outside the courthouse - they deserve protection too 
. And what's with the bail conditions? A curfew and restrictions on contacting co-accused just isn't enough 
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I'm so worried about Thomas Sewell being released on bail 
. Like, 25 offenses? That's a lot of harm and violence inflicted on innocent people! 
. What's going to make them feel safe again? 
We're not even talking about punishment here; we're talking about basic recognition of the harm that these groups cause. It's time for some real change in our justice system 
. I mean, 72 days in remand? That's barely enough time for Sewell to organize a single hate crime, let alone orchestrate multiple attacks on Indigenous protesters. It's like the system is just letting him off with a slap on the wrist. And the bail conditions? They're not even enough to stop him from causing harm. I'm so sick of these neo-Nazis getting away with this stuff 
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i mean what kind of message does releasing someone who's clearly been involved in all that hate send to the community ? it feels like they're not taking these types of crimes seriously enough and its gonna embolden people to keep doing stuff like this Interesting 
I was thinking maybe they were attracted to the eucalyptus trees or something, but then I remembered watching that documentary about killer bees and how they're actually pretty smart 
anyway, have you guys ever seen a bee hive up close? it's like these tiny little cities with different castes and communication systems 
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. It's heartbreaking to think about all the people who've been affected by his actions and will continue to be until he's held fully accountable 
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. This decision feels like a missed opportunity...
. The bail conditions are strict, but honestly, I think they're not enough. It's like the court is saying "oh, we'll just keep an eye on him, don't worry". 
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i mean, 72 days in remand and he gets bail? that's like getting released from prison for being good to go... but seriously though, what's the deal with these bail conditions? curfew? restrictions on contact? it sounds like they're trying to keep him safe from himself more than anything