Accused neo-Nazi clashes with magistrate
An alleged neo-Nazi has failed to appear in court, while a second man accused of displaying a Nazi symbol has demanded that his charges be withdrawn.
A man accused of displaying a Nazi symbol on his shirt has told a court the charge should be dropped “because no crime has been committed”.
Graham Connolly, 41, of Newcomb in Victoria, was among 17 members of the National Socialist Network who faced charges over a march by the neo-Nazi group at the South Australian War Memorial on Australia Day.
He appeared in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday on charges of hindering police and using a Nazi symbol or salute.
The second charge related to allegations that he displayed an arrow cross, which is the group’s insignia.
The symbol was “not proscribed by regulation … but is a symbol associated with Nazi ideology”, prosecutor Ciara Fanning-Walsh told Magistrate John Clover.
Connolly, who appeared in court via phone link, told the court the charges “should be dropped today”.
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“That’s not going to happen,” Clover told him.
“It should be, there were no crimes committed,” Connolly replied.
“Your Honour, I believe I have been punished sufficiently already, with my draconian bail conditions.”
The magistrate told him he would not achieve anything by “trying to debate the merits of the charge today.
“I have no power today to do anything in respect of the charges other than to list them for a pre-trial conference.”
Connolly will reappear in court on May 15.
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Another man charged over the march, Joel Thomas Davis, 29, also of Victoria, failed to appear in the same court on Tuesday.
He is charged with two counts of displaying a Nazi symbol, on January 26 and on January 28.
He was arrested near the City Watch House on January 28 while waiting for the other NSN members who were appearing in court.
Before his arrest, he told media: “I don’t believe they have broken the law – I think they will beat the charges in court.”
Davis failed to answer two phone calls from the court on Tuesday and Mr Clover adjourned the matter, so Davis could be notified that he must appear on April 4, or a warrant for his arrest would be issued.
Under laws introduced in SA in 2024, people found displaying swastikas or Nazi symbols in public or performing a Nazi salute could be fined up to $20,000 or face a year in jail.
On March 11, charges against another alleged NSN member, Perth man Mason James Robbins, 30, were withdrawn by police, who agreed to pay his costs.
He was charged with carrying an offensive weapon or article of disguise and using a Nazi symbol or salute.
SA police would not comment on why the charges were withdrawn.
