[A Western Australian,] Brendan Lee O'Connell was today convicted on 6 counts of anti-Jewish harassment and vilification in the Western Australian District Court by a 12-person jury.
Mr O'Connell was at a South Perth supermarket in 2009 as part of a Friends of Palestine "BDS" [anti-Israel delegitimisation and vilification] protest against the sale of Israeli oranges, when he harassed and taunted a Jewish student, shouting that Judaism is a "religion and race of hate" and the student is a "racist homicidal maniac".
During the trial he compared Judaism to an organised crime syndicate, said he was proud to be associated with holocaust denier Fredrick Toben, and asserted that "Jews control the entire world".
The charges carry maximum penalties of up to 14 years imprisonment.
When the jury retired yesterday afternoon, O'Connell shouted from the dock that it would be "an honour" to be imprisoned "for Palestine and Iraq". After the verdict was pronounced he shouted "Free Palestine ...Free Iraq!"
O'Connell was remanded in custody until sentencing at 12 noon on Monday 31 January in District Court 3-4.
For further information see previous FOIWA postings of
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