Man charged for threatening X post
A man has been charged with threatening violence based on religion after he allegedly posted an offensive comment online.
Credit: Lobroart/Shutterstock
This afternoon, police arrested a 48-yr-old man in Harris Park in Sydney’s western suburbs. He was charged with publicly threatening violence on the grounds of religion, and using carriage service to menace/harass/offend?
The man, named by the Daily Telegraph as Ashley Bell, was released on conditional bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday 15 January 2025.
Police will allege in court the man posted a threatening and offensive comment on a social media platform directed towards an aged-care facility in Randwick.
According to the Daily Telegraph he posted on X: “Let’s go to the (aged care) home in Randwick and bash some Holocaust survivors!”.
Bell told the Telegraph: “It was a sarcastic comment to highlight the stupidity of anti-Semitism,” he said.
“It’s understandable it may have caused offence, but those people don’t know me.”
A spokesperson for the facility said: “Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of our residents, their visitors, and our staff and, to this end, we have put additional security measures in place. Our security team is in close contact with NSW Police as they investigate the matter.”
I was arrested and charged at Granville Police Station on 18th December 2024 with incitement of violence against community members based on religion.
I tweeted on the social media website X on 15th December 2024 words to the effect: “Let’s go to Montefiore Home at Randwick at bash some Holocaust survivors”.
My intention for making such a stupid, regrettable remark was to highlight the stupidity of antisemitism, to mock the thinking of Jew hatred: not to threaten the Jewish community of Sydney.
I was responding to a tweet that claimed Jews were doctoring fake attacks of antisemitism.
The Australian Jewish Association claimed that two $50 notes were withdrawn via an ATM by a Jewish person in Sydney. This claim was accompanied by photographic evidence of two $50 notes that had swastikas and the message: “Fuck Jews” inked on them in biro.
Some users on the X website claimed that the AJA had inked the two offending $50 notes themselves, for the sake of claiming victimhood and garnering sympathy from the broader Australian community.
My satirical response was to write about the mindset of Jew haters, who would feel emboldened enough to attack the Jewish community for mistakenly believing the Jewish community were lying about the two offending $50 notes.
My comment on X was merely reflecting the stupidity of antisemitism. I was making fun of the idiots who would think: “Let’s go and bash Holocaust survivors” after reading the claim on X that Jews were faking antisemitic attacks.
My intention was to ridicule antisemitic bigotry, not to hurt or offend members of the Jewish community. My mistake was not clarifying in my tweet that my comment was a parody, not a serious threat.
I am extremely sorry for hurting, offending and worrying the Jewish community of Sydney for posting such a stupidly irresponsible and idiotic tweet on X.
I am very embarrassed by the stupidity of my offensive tweet. I used to work at Montefiore as a therapist under the guidance of Tamar Krebs and Jennifer Gavshon and Rabbi David Rogut. I layed tefillin with dementia residents and conducted Kiddush services on Shabbat. I am in no way antisemitic. https://flic.kr/p/2qCBUjC