Pro-Palestine protester's odd court act
Antwany Arnold, 50, is alleged to have committed assault, affray, riotous behaviour and criminal damage after allegedly throwing food and chairs outside Miznon restaurant on Hardware Lane on July 4.
Mr Arnold, who was described in court as a 'familiar face' in Melbourne's pro-Palestinian protest movement, returned to the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday as magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz refused to grant him bail.
The accused man reacted by clapping his hands in a slow exaggerated manner as he beamed in to court from the Metropolitan Remand Centre. Antwany Arnold was arrested on July 8 alongside two women. Victoria Police. Credit: Supplied
Handing down her decision, Ms Mykytowycz found Mr Arnold represented a 'real and ongoing risk' to the welfare of the community, noting he had a history of not complying with bail conditions.
She said the father-of-five had already allegedly breached his bail conditions 'more than once' by attending a protest in the CBD, and she was not satisfied that he would follow his imposed bail conditions.
The court was told the accused man had been arrested on July 8 over his alleged involvement in a protest outside the Israeli restaurant, which was targeted by 12 to 15 protesters in the evening of July 4.
In CCTV of the incident, played in court last week, protesters gathered in the outdoor dining area, chanting slogans including 'death, death to the IDF', 'out, out, Israel out' and 'Israel is a terrorist state'. A glass door at Miznon was damaged. NewsWire / Nadir Kinani Credit: News Corp Australia
Ms Mykytowycz told the court it was alleged Mr Arnold was the person chanting on a microphone at the rear of the group and threw food and upturned chairs and tables after patrons had left.
At one point footage allegedly showed a second protester sticking their finger in a diner's food, 'a frankly repugnant act', Ms Mykytowycz said.
'You risk alienating the very community amongst which you wish to be heard – arguably you already have,' Ms Mykytowycz said.
'Ultimately, a court will be required in each instance to assess the general character of your utterances and behaviour. This will also include an assessment of whether your behaviour on each occasion constitutes a lawful protest.' He was supported in court by other activists. NewsWire / Diego Fedele Credit: News Corp Australia
During a hearing last week, Mr Arnold's lawyer Tim Hutton told the court that his client had a long history of involvement in the pro-Palestinian protest movement in Melbourne.
He said the alleged offending was not driven by anti-Semitism but a 'most passionate condemnation' of the Israel Defence Forces and their actions in Gaza.
'It is a condemnation of the atrocities and war crimes they've committed,' Mr Hutton said.
'That chant is not specifically calling for the murder of individual IDF soldiers but calling for the end of that organisation.'
Mr Hutton flagged that the head charge of affray would be contested.
Mr Arnold was remanded into custody and will return to court next month.
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