A Victorian man charged with involvement in protests which saw the doors of Old Parliament House set alight has been accused of boasting about assaults on police during a livestream of the events.
Ryan Dean Harder, 40, was arrested by police on his way into Canberra yesterday and charged with assaulting and resisting police, and commissioning arson.
Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan confirmed Mr Harder's arrest this morning.
"Yesterday on the Federal Highway ACT Policing and AFP members arrested a 40-year-old Victorian man and he will be charged with commission of arson, obstructing a public official and assaulting a frontline community service provider," he said.
"He was travelling up from Victoria and stopped on the Federal Highway, and he'll appear in court this morning."
Anti-government protesters had been gathering in front of Old Parliament House for weeks, before setting fire to the building's doors and causing more than $4 million of damage in December.
When Mr Harder faced court this morning, documents tendered detailed how he had livestreamed video of himself during the protest, as demonstrators held back police while the doors caught fire.
Police said in one social media video he could be seen shouting "Let it burn, Let it burn" as he walked down the steps at the front entrance of the building.
In another post, police say Mr Harder could be seen making a number of statements, including ones relating to assaulting police.
"Yeah we were there … I got pepper-sprayed and pushed the cops off. I pushed two coppers off the stairs. Plant the foot and give them a good shoulder," he allegedly said in the livestream.
Police said Mr Harder also filmed himself on his mobile phone in a monologue.
"I had a shoulder in a copper, threw two or three of them off. So, good times," he said.
In court today, prosecutors said one of the officers had been pushed down the stairs as he tried to spread out the protesters to get to the fire.
The court heard another officer had been pulled into the crowd before also allegedly being pushed by Mr Harder.
But his lawyer Georgia Le Couteur said there was no evidence Mr Harder was a leader of the protests, as was alleged by the prosecution.
Magistrate Robert Cook described the incident as "mob rule and emotional dysregulation".
He said it appeared Mr Harder held a "sovereign citizen" belief and a view that government laws were not legitimate.
He also said he was concerned Mr Harder might reconnect with other protesters.
But Magistrate Cook agreed Mr Harder should be granted bail, ordering he return to Victoria and not come to the ACT except for matters to do with his court case.
Mr Harder is expected to be back in court later in the month.
He is the fourth person to be charged over the incident.
