Edward Stevenson

Edward (Ted) Stevenson (born 1942) was a member of the National Socialist Party of Australia and later of the Fascist Party under Gary Mangan. He was convicted of the April 1972 bombing the Brisbane headquarters of the Australian Communist Party (291 St Pauls Terrace, Fortitude Valley).

Brisbane bombing 1972

On 19 April 1972, the Community Party of Australia Brisbane office (291 St Pauls Terrace, Fortitude Valley) was bombed by the "Fascist Party", former NSPA members. The bomb was placed at the doorway of the bookshop. Edward Stevenson was allegedly convicted, Gary John Mangan (a member of the National Socialist Party of Australia 1970-71, the Australian Fascist Party 1971-72 and associated with some NSPA activities in Sydney 1974-75), lead suspect, was charged over the bombing but was acquitted in September 1973.

An odd smell wafted through the upper floor of the three-storey brick building. Something was burning. One of the seven people meeting that Thursday night figured he’d investigate; the offices, bookstore and printing room downstairs were an obvious concern. Then the bomb went off. Placed near the entrance to the building one floor below, sixteen sticks of gelignite lifted the floor above and blew out nearby walls and doors. Roofing iron and filing cabinets were twisted and torn, crockery in the top-floor cupboards shattered like the windows overlooking St. Paul’s Terrace. The shockwave expanded through the upper-floor, past those gathered at the table, finding little resistance from the louvres at the Barry Parade end. Smoke hung throughout the building. Nobody was injured. A literary confetti made of publications stocked by the People’s Bookshop, which shared the building, settled on the lower floor. Soon after, somebody identifying as the bomber called in to either the police station or The Courier Mail — accounts from the time vary. “We will bomb more on Friday if they march in the Moratorium,” they warned. “We tried not to hurt anyone tonight. It’s Hitler’s birthday tomorrow. Heil Hitler.” It was April 19, 1972. Shots would be fired into a Maoist-run bookstore on Elizabeth Street later that night. The following day, more anonymous calls were made, this time to Communist Party members. They were told their homes would be next. This bombing, unlike a firebombing of the same Communist Party of Australia headquarters 5 years earlier, was not covered by insurance. Repair costs were estimated to be at least $3000 — $28 000 today—and a national call-out was made to help rebuild. Money flowed in; the lead suspect flew out. He was arrested interstate, extradited, and later acquitted.