The number 51 in the monetary request holds special significance for the group because it is the number of victims in the Christchurch massacre.
Jimeone Roberts drinking at The Irish Times Pub with distinctive black sun tattoo.
On The Irish Times Pub Facebook page, Parashar apologized to Roberts, Eracleous, known neo-Nazis Neil Erikson and Thomas Sewell, and their friend. The Age is not aware of any evidence that Roberts, Erikson, Sewell or their friend were involved in making the demand for money. The pub also sacked the two staff members involved.
“The Irish Times Management team strongly disapproves of the ex-employee’s unprofessional conduct by spitting into the patron’s drink as a consequence of a discussion with the patron over a political topic,” the message said.
In the 10 days since the incident, the pub has received a litany of one-star Google reviews written about its service, many referencing the incident. The campaign was amplified by social media channels with far-right activists co-ordinating across borders to ruin the reputation of the pub.
An audio memo posted to a secret channel and obtained by The Age also suggested using complaints to regulators to apply pressure to Parashar, who was overseas at the time of the incident.
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The audio memo said they were considering making reports to Consumer Affairs Victoria, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, taking legal action in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and reporting the pub to the Melbourne City Council.
“I think we should get the ball rolling, get everything in motion, so when [the owner] does come back from overseas [he] is confronted with emails and f—ing complaints from Melbourne Council, Consumer Affairs, VCAT,” the voice said.
“He’ll be like ‘what the f—, I don’t want to deal with this shit’.”
Police said they were notified of the incident.
“It’s believed a number of men became involved in an altercation with a staff member and have subsequently made a number of demands from the business. As the matter is currently being assessed, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time,” a police spokeswoman said.
Eracleous pictured in a recent online discussion with other neo-Nazis.
Eracleous, a former Young Liberal member turned neo-Nazi from Victoria, was responsible for a January 19 propaganda video depicting three masked men burning an Aboriginal flag, reciting a white supremacist manifesto and criticizing Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe.
Erikson, a far-right nationalist, has previously been convicted of inciting serious contempt for Muslims by making offensive remarks in a LGBTQI church service. He maintains his innocence of him and is currently appealing his conviction and jail term.
Though not in attendance at the pub but mentioned in the apology request, Thomas Sewell, leader of the Australian nationalist socialist movement, is currently on bail as he awaits trial on allegations he attacked and robbed a group of hikers in regional Victoria. Sewell has pleaded not guilty.
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Parashar says he now feels sandwiched between two groups: the neo-Nazis that insisted on the sacking of the staff, and people who think it was wrong to sack the employee who spat in his beer.
“We’re still recovering from the impacts of COVID and the next thing we’re getting dragged into this,” he said.
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