Far-right activist Neil Erikson faces the threat of a hefty fine over an online video in which former senator Sam Dastyari was called a ‘terrorist’ and a ‘monkey’ at a Melbourne pub.
Erikson was fined $10,000 on Friday for contempt but the penalty was suspended on the condition he doesn’t upload any more content featuring his former employer, freight company Toll Group.
He was found guilty of contempt in February after uploading a video that showed him in a Toll uniform ambushing Mr Dastyari, defying previous court orders that he not publish images or video of himself wearing the company’s clothing.
Far-right activist Neil Erikson (pictured) was fined $10,000 on Friday over an online video in which former senator Sam Dastyari was called a ‘terrorist’ and a ‘monkey’ at a Melbourne pub
The $10,000 penalty was suspended on the condition Erikson doesn’t upload any more content featuring Toll Group
Federal Circuit Court Judge Suzanne Jones made the order in December which applies to non-employees of Toll.
By publishing the video featuring Mr Dastyari, Erikson was found to have broken the court order.
Toll is suing Erikson for alleged reputational damage, claiming it received more than 500 written complaints following the video’s publication.
Posted on Erikson’s YouTube page, the video shows him ambushing Mr Dastyari at a Footscray pub book launch in November, when the Iranian-born then-politician was called a ‘terrorist’.
Erikson’s (pictured) former employer, freight company Toll group, is suing Erikson for alleged reputational damage
The footage shows an exchange between Erikson and a woman next to the former senator.
‘Is this sort of activity sanctioned by Toll?’ she asks.
Erikson replies: ‘I thought Labor were for working-class Aussies, mate. You don’t like free speech?’
‘Whatever you do in your uniform, you’re actually representing your employer,’ the woman replies.
Judge Jones previously made orders for Erikson to not publish a video of the Dastyari protest, but Erikson alleged he had forgotten it was on his YouTube page.
Judge Jones previously made orders for Erikson (pictured) to not publish a video of the Dastyari protest, but Erikson alleged he had forgotten it was on his YouTube page
The judge found Erikson’s claim that he failed to scrutinise all of his social media ‘unconvincing’.
The contempt finding also related to Twitter photos that showed Erikson with associate Ricky Turner, protesting outside a Melbourne appearance by Milo Yiannopoulos.
Turner was shown in a Toll uniform, despite having never been an employee.
Erikson himself stopped working for Toll in 2014, but worked for them again in Tasmania in 2017 before being sacked.
The case is due to return to court on Tuesday for a directions hearing.
In 2017, Erikson, United Patriots Front leader Blair Cottrell and Christopher Neil Shortis were convicted and fined for inciting contempt and ridicule of Muslims.
The judge found Erikson’s (pictured) claim that he failed to scrutinise all of his social media ‘unconvincing’