Police are monitoring Sydney in large numbers after a man was arrested for planning a “bashing day” protest, seemingly in response to the Bondi Beach massacre, Australian media reported on Saturday.
Police promised to take a zero-tolerance policy against any potential violent protest, which was planned at the site of the Cronulla riots.
Ryder Roy Shaw, a 20-year-old local alleged to have planned the ‘bashing day’ protest, is facing court over a "violent call to action," 9News Australia reported.
Shaw was charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass, offend, and to publicly threaten violence on the grounds of race or religion, according to Daily Mail Australia.
Magistrate Margaret Quinn denied Shaw bail and told the accused he appeared to be a “Muslim hater.”
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon barred public assemblies across the entire Sydney metropolitan area for 14 days following the deadly attack on the Jewish community.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Brendan Gorman said, "Everyone in NSW deserves to be safe and feel safe. Now is not the time for any behaviour that will cause division in our community."
"Action will be taken against anyone who engages in criminal activity that is motivated by hate," Gorman stressed.
A poster circulating online, and cited by several media outlets, advertising the event read, “WE RIOT W** MIDDLE EASTERN BASHING DAY.
“SPREAD THE WORD AUSTRALIA. STAND THE F*** UP.”
Race riots in Cronulla
Over 100 people were arrested during the 11 December 2005 riots in Cronulla, which were instigated after a text message circulated among locals demanding “Aussies” show “Lebs (people of Lebanese descent) and w**s (a slur for BAME people)” they weren’t welcome.
Thousands of Sydney locals were reported to have joined the attacks on anyone appearing to have Middle Eastern descent.