A man who flew a Nazi flag above a Brisbane synagogue wanted to “disrupt” climate protesters when he waved the offensive symbol, a court has been told.
Brendan John Jones’s “bizarre” reason for the offensive stunt was revealed as the 45-year-old fronted Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday, pleading guilty to a single charge of public nuisance.
Jones’s actions sparked outrage after the flag – displaying the Nazi swastika symbol – flew from an apartment on Margaret St in Brisbane City on October 30.
The flag was flown above the nearby Brisbane Synagogue.
Jones’s lawyer said her client flew the flag intending to “disrupt” climate action protesters that had been in the city in the days leading up to the offence.
“The arresting officer has said regardless of whether or not he knew there was a synagogue, his behaviour was designed to disrupt the public,” Jones’s lawyer said.
Magistrate Robbie Davies said the motive did not make much sense and Jones didn’t think his actions through.
“His intention is bizarre, he think’s he’s going to disrupt protesters that aren’t even there,” Mr Davies said.
Jones’s lawyer said her client did not know the building was a synagogue and the resulting media publicity had caused him to suffer symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The court was told Jones was relying on Jobseeker payments but otherwise had a “good work record”.
Read the article by Blake Antrobus in The Australian.