Title: Former Liberty Forum poster 'Quo Todt' charged with "hate speech" in Australia Source:
news.com.au URL Source:http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25475819-948,00.html Published:May 13, 2009 Author:Paul Lampathakis Post Date:2009-05-13 08:53:07 by bluegrass Keywords:None Views:13094 Comments:47
May 13, 2009 07:00pm
A PERTH man has been charged under racial vilification laws for allegedly posting anti-Semitic videos on the internet site YouTube.
Maylands man Brendon O'Connell, 38, is seen on film in front of Perth's Bell Tower and at a South Perth supermarket while allegedly making anti-Semitic comments.
Mr O'Connell was charged by the police State Security Investigation Group this afternoon with conduct with intent to incite racial animosity or racist harassment.
The maximum penalty for the offence is 14 years' jail, or fines of up to $24,000.
Opposition Multicultural Interests spokesman John Hyde - who alerted police, Jewish community leaders and the Ethnic Communities Council of WA about the videos - praised WA Police for using the anti-vilification laws to lay the charges.
"Members of the multicultural community can take comfort in the knowledge that this alleged race hate crime will now go before the courts,'' Mr Hyde said.
It is believed to be the second time a person has been charged under the racial vilification laws, which were introduced by the previous Labor government and were designed to outlaw the publication, distribution or display in oral, written or pictorial form of material that was threatening or abusive and intended to cause hatred or contempt or ridicule.