A musclebound follower of neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell has posted coded Nazi messages to a courtroom in a bizarre virtual hearing.
Sewell, 28, and fellow hate monger Jacob Hersant, 22, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday on charges of assault and affray after they allegedly bashed hikers in May.
A bearded man wearing dark sunglasses streamed into the online hearing where he could be seen holding a sign to the camera bearing a Celtic cross logo and stating 'Free Thomas Sewell'.
Detectives from Victoria Police's Counter Terrorism Command arrested Thomas Sewell in March over an alleged attack on a security guard outside Channel 9. He is pictured giving Channel 9 reporter Seb Costello the Nazi salute
Pictured: A group of white supremacists at the Grampians National Park, performing the Seig Heil, in January
Jacob Hersant, pictured on social media, allegedly attacked a group of hikers during a meeting in May
Sewell, of the European Australian Movement, and Hersant, of the National Socialist Network, are accused of attacking hikers with knives after one filmed them during a meeting in the wilds of Country Victoria.
The man, who identified himself online as 'Jimeone Roberts', repeatedly displayed the sign before taking to the public chat.
'Free Tom Sewell,' he wrote, before adding what at first glance appeared to be a simple equation: '7X2 + 44x2'.
It is code often used by Neo-Nazis.
'H' being the eighth letter of the alphabet, equates to 88 - meaning 'HH'.
Or in Nazi terms: 'Heil Hitler'.
The first equation, amounting to 14, is the number of words in a statement written by David Lane - a member of the Ku Klux Klan and co-founder of a white-power revolutionary group.
Online court hearings have become a free-for-all of disrespect and blatant contempt since Covid-19 forced shut real life hearings.
The disturbing incident came hot on the heels of increased sightings of neo-Nazi groups congregating en masse in country Victoria and in the heart of Melbourne
Respected magistrate Peter Riordan was oblivious to the disgraceful antics going on as he endeavoured to control the virtual hearing.
The court heard it was May 8 when Sewell, Hershant and a bunch of their mates decided to hold a meeting on the summit of the Cathedral Ranges.
Known for some of the best hiking
