Neo-Nazi who posted a video of himself bashing a black Channel Nine security guard will stay behind bars after allegedly attacking a group of hikers with knives after they objected to his racist stickers
- Thomas Sewell, 28, is the leader of racist group European Australian Movement
- In March he was filmed bashing a security guard while storming Nine's offices
- Arrested last month accused of attacking hikers with his Nazi group followers
- Police fear he is brainwashing youths into white supremacists and opposed bail
A self-confessed white supremacist and 'soldier for the white race' is a serious concern for Victoria Police, who fear he is indoctrinating people into a neo-Nazi subculture.
Thomas Sewell, 28, is the leader of a right-wing organisation called the European Australian Movement and is heavily involved in the right-wing National Socialist Movement.
Sewell is behind bars, facing serious charges including armed robbery and assault against a group of hikers in a Victorian state park, and an attack on a Channel Nine security guard.
He applied for bail in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday but was refused.
Sewell performs a Nazi salute in footage played on A Current Affair
Victoria Police counter terrorism detective Michael Taylor told the court that Sewell had 'remarkable grandiosity of himself and the white race' and is unwavering in his belief that white people are being eradicated.
He allegedly told a right wing podcast that 'I am a political soldier for the white race and Adolf Hitler is my leader', he said.
'I'm a white supremacist... we're 100 per cent better in every way, shape and form,' Sewell allegedly said.
Sewell will remain in custody on serious charges including armed robbery and robbery over a violent incident involving knives in Victoria's Cathedral Ranges state park, northeast of Melbourne, on May 21 this year.
The security guard is seen telling the man filming to stop filming and leave. Thomas Sewell (right) watches on
Shocked bystanders watch on as Sewell punches the security guard several times, who falls over backwards and is knocked to the ground
It's alleged Sewell and a group of EAM and NSM members were hiking in the park when another group of hikers noticed 'Australia for the white man' stickers had been stuck along the trail.
The hikers speculated the group was 'probably the Nazis' who had featured in news reports about groups camping in the Grampians over Australia Day.
One of the hikers briefly filmed the group in the car park before noticing one of the group running toward them yelling 'Antifa' - a reference to a left-wing organisation.
None of the six hikers have any ties to any left-wing organisations including Antifa.
It's alleged Sewell smashed a passenger window of one of the hikers' cars while another person smashed the driver's side window. DNA matched a sample from Sewell.
The neo-Nazi then holds the security guard to the ground as bystanders yell at him to stop and get off the man, who was just doing his job
The court heard that knives, wielded by people wearing balaclavas, were thrust through the driver's window of the car.
Several of the other hikers were allegedly stopped and told 'we're not attacking you, we just need you to stay put'.
The groups were eventually allowed to drive away. Detective Senior Constable Taylor said two of the alleged victims were 'too petrified of persecution' to do so.
Sewell was on bail at the time after being charged for allegedly punching a security guard's head six times outside Channel Nine headquarters in Melbourne in March.
It's alleged Sewell had gone to the office to speak to senior executives about an A Current Affair segment due to air in March about homegrown neo-Nazi groups holding camps in regional Victoria, and which heavily featured Sewell.
The Channel Nine security guard was taken to hospital in an ambulance and CCTV of the incident given to Victoria Police
Det Sen Const Taylor said police found hunting knives and an axe in Sewell's bedroom and knuckledusters in his car, and have concerns that he is becoming increasingly erratic, volatile and violent.
Sewell's lawyer Kieran Reynolds said the case against his client wasn't as strong as police made out and offered a range of bail conditions including that he live with his father.
Tony Sewell said he absolutely did not share his son's political beliefs and that they did not talk about them.
Mr Reynolds said the case would likely go to trial, which could be up to two years away.
