Zahar Levin: Waterloo man granted bail over alleged anti-Semitic online threats

A man who a court heard has Jewish heritage has been charged after police allege he made threatening anti-Semitic comments online. Here’s the latest

52year old Zahar Levin is released from Surry hills Police Station after being charged by police for allegedly making offensive posts online. Picture: Daily Telegraph

A Sydney man with Jewish heritage has been released on bail after he allegedly wrote threatening anti-Semitic messages online while he was drunk, a court has heard.

Zahar Levin, 52, of Waterloo, faced Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday on a charge of using a carrier service to menace, harass, and offend after being arrested as part of Operation Shelter, set up by NSW Police to monitor pro-Palestinian activities.

Police allege in court documents Levin made offensive comments towards Jewish people on Facebook late on Friday night.

The court also heard his comments were of a threatening nature.

Zahar Levin leaving Surry Hills police station after being charged by police for allegedly making offensive posts online. Picture: Daily Telegraph

Police prosecutors opposed Levin being released on bail, pointing to his comments being made in the context of the Israeli-Palestine conflict and to the potential danger of his words at a “particular time when these things are going to be viewed in certain ways”.

However, Levin’s defence lawyer pushed for his client to be released, telling the court he was drunk and emotional when he made the comments.

The court heard Levin was part Jewish on his father’s side.

“It is rather strange he made those comments, but we will leave that for another day,” the lawyer said.

In granting Levin bail, Magistrate Carl Milovanovich said: “I suspect that you might have been intoxicated when you made these comments … we live in a country where you are entitled to express your opinions, but not to make threats – that is a criminal offence”.

Mr Milovanovich told Mr Levin he was “inclined to put restrictions on his social media account,” and prohibited him from publishing any comments on the issue to social media, but decided against deleting his accounts.

Levin was also ordered not to visit or come within 100 meters of any Jewish place of worship, and report to Redfern police station once a week.

He will appear on pending charges at the Downing Centre Local Court on November 6.