Anti-Israel activist Antwany Arnold denied bail over Israeli restaurant charges

An activist charged over the gang attack on a Melbourne Israeli restaurant is accused of throwing a chair at a woman and has previously been arrested for protesting in the CBD.

An anti-Israel activist has been refused bail over his alleged role in the attack on an Israeli owned restaurant in Melbourne’s CBD.

Antwany Arnold, 50, appeared before Melbourne Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday night charged with assault, affray, riotous behaviour and criminal damage.

Mr Arnold was allegedly part of a group of between 20 and 30 pro-Palestine protesters who stormed Israeli restaurant Miznon on Hardware Lane at 8.12pm on July 4, throwing food, glasses and chairs at staff and patrons.

He was one of three people arrested and charged over the incident on Tuesday.

The court heard that Mr Arnold, equipped with a microphone and speaker, was chanting anti-Israeli Defence Force slogans with other protesters before knocking over tables and chairs.

It’s alleged Mr Arnold became involved in a verbal altercation with a restaurant patron before he “hurled a chair in her direction.”

Mr Arnold is arrested by police on Tuesday.

The court heard that Mr Arnold was on bail at the time of the alleged offending and had breached his bail conditions, which prevented him entering the CBD as bordered by Flinders St, Spring St, Spencer St and Victoria St.

He allegedly breached these conditions on June 29, July 4 and July 6 to engage in protests.

Mr Arnold has extensive priors for similar “aggressive, violent and confrontational” offences such as affray and offensive behaviour in a public place in addition to previous breaches of his bail conditions.

Mr Arnold applied for bail, but magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz denied his application, saying he stood accused as an “antagonist for racial abuse and violent behaviour.”

“In my view, such behaviour fuels further behaviour of a racial and abusive nature in the community,” she said.

The court heard he had previously been in an altercation with a passer-by outside of Bourke St Mall while protesting, and was later arrested for making death threats towards a member of the public.

In 2019, he was handed a two-year sentence for affray at county court.

Mr Arnold is living in public housing in Richmond with no official place of employment.

His will next face court on July 18.

Two other women charged on Tuesday have both been bailed to face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 25.