Ben Roberts-Smith confirms Anzac Day attendance amid war crimes charges
Consensus Summary
Ben Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient facing five counts of war crime murder related to alleged actions in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012, confirmed he will attend Anzac Day services on April 25, 2026, to pay his respects. Released on bail from Sydney's Silverwater jail, he has denied the allegations and emphasized his attendance is personal, not political. Fellow Victoria Cross recipient Keith Payne publicly supported his right to participate in commemorations. While Roberts-Smith clarified he has no involvement with a Melbourne rally planned by the National Workers Alliance, both sources agree the event is unrelated to him. RSL Australia welcomed all Australians to attend Anzac Day services, reaffirming its commitment to honoring both fallen and living veterans. The controversy highlights tensions between military tradition and legal scrutiny.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Ben Roberts-Smith confirmed he will attend Anzac Day services to 'pay my respects'
- Roberts-Smith was charged with five counts of war crime murder related to alleged actions in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012
- He was released on bail from Sydney's Silverwater jail to await trial
- Roberts-Smith denied the allegations and stated 'I deny these allegations and have always done so'
- Keith Payne, another Victoria Cross recipient, publicly supported Roberts-Smith's right to attend Anzac Day services, saying 'Of course he should march or be at the Dawn Service, whatever he wants to'
- Roberts-Smith is residing in Queensland since his release on bail
- A rally in Melbourne over the weekend is planned by the National Workers Alliance to support Roberts-Smith, though he and his family are not involved
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Roberts-Smith's lawyers issued a statement explicitly denying involvement with the rally organizers and stating they were not consulted by the National Workers Alliance
- RSL Australia's national president Peter Tinley emphasized the organization's role in advocating for living veterans, not just honoring the fallen
- The rally is described as being promoted by an 'ethno-nationalist group' that claims to support the 'preservation of Western culture and identity'
- Roberts-Smith was released on bail one week prior to Anzac Day (April 25, 2026)
- A representative for Roberts-Smith did not specify which Anzac Day events he would attend
- Roberts-Smith described Anzac Day as 'sacred to me and every other veteran' and encouraged others to attend
- He quoted himself as saying 'Anzac Day is sacred to me and every other veteran. I will be attending to pay my respects and I encourage everyone else to'
- The article does not mention the specific bail release date or the name of the ethno-nationalist group
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC describes the rally organizers as an 'ethno-nationalist group' while NEWSCOMAU does not specify the group's ideology beyond its name, the National Workers Alliance
Source Articles
Ben Roberts-Smith confirms Anzac Day plans
Ben Roberts-Smith confirms he will be attending Anzac Day services tomorrow, saying he intends to pay his respects, one week on from his release on bail.
Roberts-Smith confirmed for Anzac Day
Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith is set to join Anzac Day events amid ongoing legal proceedings.