Christian Sukkar sentenced for role in sparking clash outside St Michael’s Church, Belfield

A parishioner who posted a video encouraging “the real mother f**kers” to drag LGBTQ protesters a day before a wild clash outside a Sydney church has been sentenced.

The protest outside Michael’s Church in Belfield where One Nation MP Mark Latham was invited to speak about religious freedoms. Source: Facebook.

A Christian activist who posted a video calling for the ‘real boys’ to drag LGBTQ protesters by their heads in the lead up to a brawl outside a southwest Sydney church had been sentenced for encouraging the commission of crimes.

Community Action for Rainbow Rights protesters gathered outside St Michael’s Church at Belfield on March 21 where One Nation politician Mark Latham was speaking on religious freedoms.

Christian Sukkar, 34, pleaded guilty to the offence which related to a video he posted on social media platform WhatsApp on the night before the clash.

Sukkar, a member of a Lebanese ethno religious group who support Lebanese Maronite Christians, recorded and sent a video message of himself to fellow parishioners to “muster against the Community Action for Rainbow Rights group”.

“Sukkar stated, ‘you’re going down tomorrow to see the protesters there is only one way and that way is to grab them and you drag them by their f**king hair and you get them out of there’,” the agreed police facts state.

Christian Sukkar. Picture: Facebook

In the video, Sukkar called on “the real boys, the real mother f**kers Gs, you go there tomorrow and you “f**ken shake them up and you drag them by their f**ken head and you remove them from Saint Michael’s Belfield.”

Campsie detectives spoke with Sukkar that afternoon who admitted to sending the message and stated he would send a new message through social media to retract his statement and for no violence to occur.

The protest outside Michael’s Church in Belfield where One Nation MP Mark Latham was invited to speak about religious freedoms. Source: Facebook.

The following day a small group of protesters approached the St Michael’s Belfield church while the congregation were present inside about 7pm on March 21.

According to police facts, a large group of the congregation exited the church and ran towards the LGBTQ group which caused police to immediately intervene to protect the protesters.

The protest outside Michael’s Church in Belfield where One Nation MP Mark Latham was invited to speak about religious freedoms. Source: Facebook.

The riot squad were later called as 500 people turned up to protest the church as projectiles were allegedly thrown into the crowds.

Sukkar was present with the congregation however police did not allege Sukkar acted in an aggressive or violent manner. He was later placed under arrest and taken to Campsie police station that night.

Sukkar’s lawyer Warwick Korn said his client’s video was not made to be seen outside the WhatsApp group of friends who were sharing frustrations.

Mr Korn said once Sukkar was approached by police he immediately recorded another video “condemning violence against anyone”.

“The steps one takes after mistakes are more indicative of true character than those taken before,” Mr Korn said.

During the clash, Mr Korn said an individual who attended alongside the action group smacked his head on the concrete and was set upon by protesters.

However, Sukkar “covered him with his own body and told them to leave him alone”.

“His bravery … putting his body on the line for the opposing side then going and sitting down and talking with them shows his character,” Mr Korn said.

Magistrate Glenn Walsh said while he did not “accept what he said” in the video, Sukkar was unlikely to reoffend.

He was sentenced to a conditional release order for two years without conviction.