An attendee at Melbourne\u2019s Anzac Day Dawn Service has told a court he was \u201cdisgusted\u201d by an alleged effort to disrupt the Welcome to Country. <\/p>\n
Retiree Nigel Meinrath was called to give evidence in the Melbourne Magistrates\u2019 Court on Monday for the first day of a hearing for a quartet accused of offensive behaviour. <\/p>\n
Mr Meinrath told the court that he attended the service with his brother and was standing next to a man who began calling out. <\/p>\n
\u201cI could hear particularly a fella to my left who was sort of denigrating the Welcome to Country, saying the Anzacs didn\u2019t need to be welcomed to country and similar statements,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was trying to be disruptive \u2026 It was a continual disturbed barrage, it didn\u2019t stop at the end of the Welcome to Country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Meinrath said he didn\u2019t believe the man was being \u201caggressive\u201d and could hear others also calling out, but he believed it wasn\u2019t a \u201cpro-Anzac sentiment\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was disgusted,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt just showed no respect for the people who were there for Anzac Day to honour their parents and grandparents.\u201d<\/p>\n
Four men, Jacob Hersant, Nathan Bull, Michael Nelson and Ian Lomax, are each facing charges of offensive behaviour, offending against decency in the Shrine of Remembrance and taking part in a disturbance within the Shrine. <\/p>\n
Each were previously affiliated with the now-disbanded National Socialist Network group and were supported in court by other former members. <\/p>\n
Outlining the Crown\u2019s case, prosecutor Ryan Mallia said it was alleged the four men were booing and yelling during the service on April 25 last year. <\/p>\n
Mr Mallia said the alleged incident began when Indigenous Elder Mark Brown began a Welcome to Country ceremony about 5.40am and later continued when Victorian Governor Margaret Gardner was speaking. <\/p>\n
Mr Hersant was alleged to have called out \u201cwhat about the Anzacs?\u201d and \u201cWe don\u2019t need to be welcomed to our own country\u201d, while Mr Bull was allegedly heard yelling \u201cThe Anzacs fought for white Australians\u201d and \u201cThe first heads of the RSL were pro-White Australia\u201d. <\/p>\n
Mr Hersant, Mr Bull and Mr Nelson are fighting the charges self-represented, each flagging they would argue their alleged acts were protected political communications, while Mr Lomax is represented by lawyer Sam Norton. <\/p>\n
Mr Norton told the court the evidence in relation to his client was \u201cquite different\u201d to the other three accused men. <\/p>\n
\u201cYour Honour will see in due course footage; none of it will depict my client saying or doing anything that could amount to the offences by which he was charged,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
About 2 \u00bd minutes of footage from Network 10 cameraman Trung Ly was played to the court, capturing one man, alleged to be Mr Nelson, arguing with members of the crowd before he is removed. <\/p>\n
Another witness, teacher Leanne Carr, said she was standing near two men who began booing during the Welcome to Country.<\/p>\n
She said one, alleged to be Mr Nelson, was making \u201ca lot of what you would consider white supremacy statements\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt one point he said, \u2018I\u2019ve done more for this country than any of the Anzacs\u2019 which was highly offensive,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Ms Carr said she was \u201creally upset and disgusted\u201d that the two men continued after \u201cso many people were asking them to show respect\u201d. <\/p>\n
The hearing continues. <\/p>\n