NSW judge says anti-Israel graffiti case went ‘haywire’ when vandalism was labelled antisemitic
Summary
A New South Wales judge ruled that Mohommed Farhat’s prison sentence was unfair because his vandalism was wrongly called antisemitic. The judge said the police and courts confused a political statement against Israel with antisemitism and missed important evidence showing Farhat was paid to do the graffiti.Key Facts
- Mohommed Farhat was jailed for 15 property damage offences, including spray-painting “Fuk Israel” on cars and setting a vehicle on fire in Sydney in late 2024.
- The graffiti was called antisemitic by police and courts, leading to a harsher sentence of 20 months in jail.
- NSW Supreme Court Justice Desmond Fagan said the graffiti was a curse against a foreign country, not antisemitic.
- Fagan criticized the standard definition of antisemitism used in court as not fitting this case.
- Police and courts failed to share key intelligence proving Farhat was paid and instructed by others, not motivated by ideology.
- Farhat was nearly given a one-year extended supervision order under terrorism laws after jail.
- The judge stated the case showed a serious miscarriage of justice and that political comments were wrongly treated as antisemitism.
- Farhat’s parole was revoked based on flawed legal arguments, and the judge found unusual interference from corrective services officials.
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