A man accused of flying a Nazi flag above the Brisbane Synagogue has failed in his bid to have the case heard in his absence.
A man accused of flying a swastika flag next to a synagogue has failed to appear in court
Brendan John Jones allegedly told officers he flew the flag as a joke and didn’t think it would cause so much offence.
The flag was seen flying from the window of the UniLodge apartment building next to the Brisbane Synagogue on Margaret St on October 30.
The flag was seized by police and Jones, 45, was charged with public nuisance.
Jones wrote to the Brisbane Magistrates Court asking for the matter to be dealt with in his absence.
However police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Mark Gorton said he would be reluctant to allow that.
“The allegations are quite serious, that he flew a swastika from an apartment building next to a synagogue,” he told the court.
Magistrate Shane Elliot agreed, issuing a warrant to lie on the file until Jones’s next appearance.
The matter was adjourned until December 14.
A parliamentary committee is currently conducting an inquiry into serious vilification and hate crimes and considering whether to make the display or possession of symbols and insignia, such as the Nazi symbol, a criminal offence in Queensland.
Read the article in The Courier Mail.