One of the men accused of being involved in setting fire to Old Parliament House in December has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting multiple police officers, saying he was acting in self-defence.
Ryan Dean Harder, 40, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of joint commission arson, resisting a territory public official and two counts of assaulting a frontline community service provider
Harder, appearing via telephone, told the ACT Magistrates Court he was acting in "self-defence and defence of others" when he allegedly pushed police officers down the portico stairs of Old Parliament House.
Harder was allegedly part of a group of 20 "sovereign citizens" who set fire to the front doors of Old Parliament House and then prevented police from approaching the blaze to put it out.
According to police, Harder was livestreaming the event on Instagram, where he gave 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," Harder allegedly said.
The 40-year-old told the court on Tuesday that he was "not a bad person".
"I am not a criminal," he said.
Harder, who lives in Victoria, was granted bail when he first faced court in February.
He will remain on conditional liberty until his next court date on July 11.
