The New South Wales police have confirmed they are investigating a complaint of alleged intimidation of Liberal MP Fiona Martin after she was confronted by a pro-Russia anti-vaccine mandate activist.
Simeon Boikov, who styles himself as an independent journalist known as the Aussie Cossack, arrived with a camera in tow at the MP’s pop-up campaign stall at Cabarita Park on Monday, later posting several videos of the incident to YouTube.
The videos depict Boikov attempting to question Martin as she gets into her car to leave the park, before a staffer for the marginal seat MP calls the NSW police.
In the video, Boikov labels Martin a “coward”, a “rat [running] from a sinking ship”, saying she “ran like a criminal” away from him and suggesting it is a “crime” or “unAustralian” behaviour to waste police time.
Katja Theodorakis from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, told Guardian Australia that, while she didn’t suggest Boikov was an extremist, the “divisive” language used to “troll” Martin is consistent with language used by extremists seeking to create division in Australia and other liberal democracies.
Boikov featured in a 2021 ABC Four Corners investigation as the leader of the Australian Cossacks, a group that promotes pro-Russian government sentiment.
In 2018 Boikov reportedly told a Russian media outlet that “we have a unique opportunity to support Russia from within an enemy state”, in reference to Australia, although he later told the ABC he loves Australia and wants to improve Australian-Russian relations.
Boikov was a prominent figure in the recent anti-vaccine mandate convoy to Canberra, part of a contingent of live-streamers and YouTube personalities who broadcast for hours from protests and demonstrations.
Boikov was invited into United Australia Party MP Craig Kelly’s office during the recent parliamentary sitting fortnight, to accompany a “delegation” of protesters as a so-called “independent press” representative.
Martin claims that on Monday Boikov and his associates twice blocked her car as she attempted to leave Cabarita Park. The video depicts one incident in which Martin waves Boikov away while he stands near her driver-side window and continues to attempt to ask her questions.
Martin said the incident prevented her talking to other constituents, as Boikov encouraged protesters to attend the park.
“I’ll talk to anybody if they’re reasonable and calm and not intrusive and offensive,” she said. “But this bloke was quite full-on.
“And at a time when we need more bloody women in parliament, and ones with guts.
“The [starter’s] gun [for the election] hasn’t even gone off.”
In the video, Boikov repeatedly cites Martin’s campaign event invitation to “come and ask me a question” as justification for bringing a camera crew.
The video depicts at least three police cars and six officers attending, including one who claims they have responded to a report of property allegedly being damaged.
After police arrived, Boikov told them “for your safety it’s better we have the mic rolling”, clarifying that “for public safety” it would be better “to get the right story”.
“What’s the damaged property?” Boikov asked the police. “Everything that happened today is on camera... there’s no damage to property, that’s a false allegation.”
“This is what you call a politician using police to intimidate political opponents,” he said, prompting the policeman to reply “I don’t think you’re intimidated at all by us”.
Boikov and his companions were not detained or charged by police.
Asked about the incident number quoted by Boikov in the video description, the NSW police replied: “Police from Burwood Police Area Command have commenced an investigation following a complaint of alleged intimidation towards a 43-year-old woman at Cabarita Park about 9.15am on Monday 21 February 2021.”
Although not endorsed by the United Australia Party, Kelly helped launch Boikov’s campaign for the NSW state seat of Strathfield in January.
In a video posted by the Aussie Cossack account, Kelly addressed a demonstration three weeks before the byelection claiming the “fightback” would start with Boikov’s candidacy, urging supporters of all parties to back him.
“Let’s send a rocket and send a message to [Scott] Morrison and [Anthony] Albanese that these forced mandates must end,” Kelly said.
Boikov, who has more than 152,000 subscribers on YouTube, and 24,000 followers on Telegram, has launched a campaign website claiming he will seek election for Martin’s seat of Reid at the federal election.
The endorsed UAP candidate for Reid, Jamal Daoud, said he was “against the party supporting or associating” with Boikov, and had received confirmation from party officials that “we are distancing ourselves now from him – totally”.
“As [he is] an independent candidate, we are not involved with him.”
Theodorakis said that Boikov’s participation in the Canberra convoy and other anti-vaccine mandate protests fits into “a wider trend of anti-government activism that’s quite populist in nature”, and “it’s very easy to jump on this cause and make yourself part of this ‘freedom’ agenda where you can dress yourself up as a defender of democracy”.
“The language in that video he posted where he trolled Fiona [Martin] is quite concerning in terms of its divisive, incendiary potential – he employs the kinds of ‘enemy constructs’ that also underpin extremism … [although] I’m not saying he is an extremist.
“It deliberately polarises, based on distinctions like ‘our freedom v their tyranny, our truth v their lies’.
“It’s ‘the people’ and independent media – who he says he represents – versus the mainstream. [He claims] he has the truth [and] the politicians and the mainstream have lies.”
The Australian Federal Police said it does not confirm who may be the subject of an investigation. “The AFP provide security advice to members of parliament on a regular basis based on protection assessments and any identified threats.”
Guardian Australia approached Boikov for comment.
