Violent thug Mohammad Sharab has pled guilty to being a violent thug, or more specifically assaulting commentator and friend Avi Yemini, as well as videographer Rukshan Fernando.
Mr Sharab, 37, who is in custody after having his bail revoked on unrelated kidnapping charges, appeared via video link before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The court heard Mr Sharab assaulted Mr Fernando outside the Melbourne Town Hall on the night of February 20 this year while councillors were meeting to vote on a motion to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Mr Fernando, who is known for his controversial live-streaming of Melbourne’s anti-lockdown protests during the Covid-19 pandemic, was recording the pro-Palestine demonstration taking place outside.
The prosecutor told the court protesters appeared to take issue with Mr Fernando recording due to the notion he was “affiliated with pro-Israel media”, although Mr Fernando said he was recording in his capacity “as an independent journalist”.
Police told Mr Fernando to move to the other side of Swanston St where he was approached by Mr Sharab, who forcibly bumped into his chest which knocked him half a metre.
Mr Fernando did not lose his footing and was not injured.
The prosecutor told the court Mr Sharab said in a police interview that he assaulted Mr Fernando because he believed he was “a biased reporter and paints Palestinians in a negative light”.
Mr Sharab’s lawyer, Brett Barratt, from James Dowsley & Associates, confirmed his client maintained that explanation.
In a later incident on April 29, while protesting on the steps of Victorian Parliament, Mr Sharab assaulted right-wing media figure Avi Yemini, telling him “I’m going to f..king get you, I’m going to f..king get you”.
The prosecutor told the court Mr Sharab touched his forehead to Mr Yemini and said, “you came my way, you think you’re going to get away with it”.
Mr Barratt asked that Magistrate Brett Sonnet take into account the fact that it was Mr Yemini who approached his client, as well as the “emotional context” in which Mr Sharab lost “his cool”, being that he had “recently received news about a number of family members that had been killed in Gaza”.
Mr Barratt said Mr Sharab had overall lost 70 people known to him, including 40 family members, due to the Israel-Hamas war.
“I understand but he is taking part in a protest outside Parliament House at a time (when) his emotions are heightened,” Magistrate Sonnet said.
“There have been many persons who have been directly and indirectly affected by the Israeli-Hamas war.”
Magistrate Sonnet said he would give “some leniency” due to Mr Sharab’s family situation, and ordered Mr Sharab to undertake two years of good behaviour without conviction.
“It’s not my role to pass any judgment or comment on the Israel-Hamas conflict, other than to say in Australia, whilst there is a right to protest, that right does not extend to the commission of any criminal offence,” Magistrate Sonnet said.
You may recall Sharab’s assault of Avi Yemini was caught on camera. And while Rukshan Fernando’s wasn’t, he did speak about it earlier this year:
As for the sentence, I find “two years of good behaviour bond without conviction” to be preposterous.
Isn’t the fact he is on charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, armed robbery, threats to kill, intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault and assault with weapon enough to show he wouldn’t know good behavior if it stood in front of him while a red inverted triangle pointed to it?
Plus the fact he breached bail conditions.
Plus the fact he has constantly shown he supports Hamas terrorism.
What is the judge thinking? This man should not be allowed on the streets again. Period. He is a ticking time bomb.
As for giving “some leniency” due to Mr Sharab’s family situation, if he is to be believed he overall lost 70 people known to him, including 40 family members, what’s the bet the vast majority – if not all – of them were Hamas?
