A man incensed by the Bondi terror incident, who subsequently urged for a “Middle Eastern Bashing Day,” is set to be released from prison after serving five months.
Twenty-year-old Ryder Shaw utilized his TikTok platform to post inflammatory content the day following the December attack, rallying his followers to “stand the f— up” and initiate a riot at Cronulla Beach.
The posts incited violence against people of Middle Eastern descent and Muslims, evoking troubling memories of the racial riots that marred the renowned Sydney beach two decades ago.
Yesterday, Shaw was sentenced in Gosford Local Court. Having been denied bail since his arrest in December, he will not serve additional time behind bars.
Acting Judge Alan Railton recognized the severity of Shaw’s actions but emphasized the young man’s need for community rehabilitation after acknowledging he had “crossed the line.”
“The timing of these actions is particularly aggravating as it was a sensitive period for Muslims,” noted Acting Judge Railton.
“(But) imposition of a full-time custodial sentence is a matter of last resort … this defendant in all other respects was a good member of the community.”
Shaw’s offending made him a target within the prison and he was under protective custody, his lawyer said.
Allowing him to be released into the community was a fair result and the 20-year-old learned his lesson, Greg Goold told AAP outside court.
Mr Goold said in court his client lived in Queensland when the attack occurred but was so angered he returned south to his home state and began posting.
“WE RIOT, WOG/MIDDLE EASTERN BASHING DAY” the first post read, according to agreed facts.
On the same afternoon, the facts state Shaw posted another image reading: “WE RIOT MUSLIM BASHING DAY”.
Both posts called for people to gather on December 27 at Cronulla Beach, where more than 10 people were arrested during riots targeting people of Middle Eastern descent in December 2005.
Shaw deserved leniency in sentencing because he realised the error of his ways and removed the posts within a few hours, Goold said.
“There is no evidence of any substantial harm … it wasn’t a part of a planned criminal activity,” he said.
“It was a one-out attempt to obtain a response and that probably wasn’t even achieved.”
One of the posts was forwarded 135 times but no riots eventuated.
Shaw appeared by audio-visual link from Kempsey prison during submissions but could not return to the screen when Acting Judge Railton gave his final decision, as a corrective services staff strike meant all prisoners were locked in their cells.
A pair of supporters present in court were emotional when Shaw was cleared to leave prison.
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