Liberal Party Arncliffe branch meeting brawl: men guilty of assault
A Liberal Party branch meeting devolved into a frenzied brawl last year as 100 local members grappled fruitlessly for space at the table inside a tiny kebab shop in south Sydney.
A Liberal Party branch meeting devolved into a frenzied brawl last year as 100 local members grappled fruitlessly for space at the table inside a tiny kebab shop in south Sydney.
Mohammad Reda, 28, and Mohommed Zahoui, 29, were charged with common assault after Remone Giorgi was left bloodied and bruised during the melee at Naji’s charcoal chicken restaurant in Arncliffe on June 18.
The violence erupted as members of the Liberal Party’s Earlwood-Kingsgrove branch attempted to enter the Arncliffe branch’s meeting, packing out the small shop with dozens of people.
“The victim attempted to squeeze his way in,” the agreed police facts stated.
“Reda and Mr Giorgi were almost face-to-face while exchanging words … Giorgi was punched in the back of his head by an unknown male and a fight ensued.”
Zahoui pushed Giorgi in the chest with an open hand before Reda punched Giorgi once to his upper body in the ensuing brawl.
Neither Zahoui nor Reda are members of the Liberal Party though they were in attendance at the branch meeting.
Zahoui pleaded guilty to common assault at Sutherland Local Court and was sentenced to a two-year conditional release order requiring good behaviour with no conviction.
Reda also pleaded guilty to common assault and an additional charge of assaulting police after he struck a female sergeant’s forearm with his arm as she attempted to arrest him.
He was convicted on both counts, fined $750 and sentenced to a two-year community corrections order.
The Earlwood-Kingsgrove branch members had repeatedly asked to access the meeting’s sign-in book and attempted to access the cafe’s back area
“They were ignored,” the agreed police facts stated.
“A female attempted to squeeze through when an unknown male said ‘where the f*** do you wanna go, there is no room’.
“Giorgi, who was behind the female, had his hand up in an offensive manner and said ‘don’t disrespect ladies’.”
Giorgi was treated for minor injuries at St George Hospital after he was assaulted.
Magistrate Michael Connell denounced the pair’s conduct in sentencing.
“It’s an especially serious matter to assault a police officer when they are in the execution of their duty,” Mr Connell told Reda.
“This type of violence is unacceptable.”
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