A "sovereign citizen" has been charged with arson and other offences over the fire that damaged Old Parliament House after he allegedly confessed to his mobile phone that he had pushed two police officers down the historic building's portico stairs.
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Melbourne man Ryan Dean Harder, 40, was granted bail when he appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.
He did not enter pleas to two counts of assaulting a frontline community service provider or single charges of joint commission arson and resisting police.
In court documents, police allege Mr Harder was among a group of about 20 protesters who formed a cordon to prevent officers reaching Old Parliament House as its front doors burned on December 30.
The 40-year-old anti-government protester allegedly grabbed a constable and pushed him down the portico stairs.
Mr Harder is accused of then taking hold of a protective service officer who had been dragged into the crowd of protesters.
The Melburnian allegedly threw this officer down the portico stairs as well, appearing to push him simultaneously from behind as he did so.
Police say both officers were caught by some of their colleagues after they were "projected from the steps".
According to investigators, Mr Harder livestreamed a video to social media during the commotion of December 30.
At one point, while filming himself, the 40-year-old allegedly said: "Yeah, we were there, Rose. 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 subsequently gave what police described as "a short monologue".
"I had a shoulder in a copper, threw two or three of them off. So, good times. Never had to hurt anybody in my life until I come here and I had to throw a couple of coppers off the steps. Never had to lay a hand on anybody. Ah well, they forced their hand," Mr Harder allegedly told his mobile phone.
Investigators looking into the fire and various related protests arrested Mr Harder as he travelled down the Barton Highway on Tuesday afternoon.
Later, at the ACT watch house, he allegedly admitted during an interview that he had placed himself between police and the fire at Old Parliament House.
"The defendant made admissions to obstructing, grabbing and pushing police," officers allege in court documents.
"The defendant further stated that he supports the protest group in their right to govern Australia and take back [Old Parliament House]."
Despite the alleged admissions, Legal Aid duty lawyer Georgia Le Couteur argued in court on Wednesday that the case against Mr Harder was not strong.
When she described some of the charges as "questionable", magistrate Robert Cook replied: "His expressions on his mobile phone that he pushed two police officers down the stairs is not a strong case?"
Ms Le Couteur went on to propose bail conditions and tell the court Mr Harder, a father of three, intended to attend court as required in the future.
A prosecutor opposed bail, arguing Mr Harder was likely not to turn up to court because he had "sovereign citizen"-style beliefs and no ties to the ACT.
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She added that the alleged offending was "calculated and co-ordinated", disagreeing with Ms Le Couteur's assessment of the prosecution case.
The prosecutor said many of Mr Harder's actions had been captured on CCTV and the man was likely to face a jail sentence on the arson charge if convicted.
Mr Cook was ultimately not persuaded Mr Harder was likely to skip court dates.
The magistrate was more worried Mr Harder, an alleged leader of recent protest activity in the parliamentary precinct, might commit offences on bail.
He said the court was concerned about the "mob mentality" that had been displayed by "a rabble" at Old Parliament House on the day in question.
However, Mr Cook believed bail conditions could ameliorate any risks.
He accordingly released Mr Harder on terms that include a ban on the 40-year-old entering the ACT for anything other than court appearances and pre-arranged legal appointments.
