A Queensland protester who threw his shoes at the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, during a refugee welcoming festival says he has no regrets after being charged by police.



Dutton was in Annerley in Brisbane on Sunday to attend Welcomefest – an event designed to acknowledge Australia’s newest citizens from countries including Somalia, Burma and Congo.



The minister was just about to deliver a speech when David Sprigg, 33, stood up and yelled at Dutton before throwing his shoes to protest the government’s refugee policies.



Dutton reportedly caught one of the shoes and brushed off the incident.



Sprigg was charged with public nuisance and taken to the Brisbane watch house.



“I think he should be ashamed for what his government is doing and how asylum seekers are being treated in detention centres,” Sprigg said after being released on Sunday afternoon.



“When they use language like ‘queue jumpers’ and ‘illegal arrivals’, I think they’re really just turning the public against refugees.”



Sprigg accused Dutton of hypocrisy over the government’s policy of turning back asylum seeker boats.



“Here he is welcoming refugees, but his government isn’t welcoming refugees at all – they’re doing the absolute opposite,” Sprigg said.



He said he didn’t regret his spur of the moment protest.



“The people in detention are just suffering so much and to be publicly shamed by having shoes thrown at you seems insignificant compared to how many refugees are locked up and mistreated every day.”



Sprigg will face court on June 30.



Dutton’s office has been contacted for comment.