The Victorian man accused of deliberately setting Old Parliament House on fire amid a political protest last December said he appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday because he was "under duress" and that mercenaries would kidnap him if he did not attend.
On December 30, Nicholas Malcolm Reed allegedly used an Aboriginal parrying shield to dig through and scooped coals from an agreed ceremonial fire nearby before carrying them to the front doors, ACT Magistrates Court documents state.
