Greens councillor Anab Mohamud ‘incredibly transphobic’ before brawl, court told
A Greens councillor’s “incredibly homophobic and transphobic” behaviour towards a transgender woman sparked a South Yarra street brawl, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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A Yarra City Greens councillor launched “incredibly homophobic and transphobic” behaviour towards a transgender woman enjoying a night out, sparking a violent brawl, a court has heard.
The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard fresh details of the horror fight between Cr Anab Mohamud and Al Shaba Bin Taha, which ignited headlines and questions about the councillor’s suitability to serve on council while facing criminal charges.
The court was told that Cr Mohamud, out with friends, was walking past the smoking area of Chasers’ Nightclub in South Yarra when she “noticed” Ms Taha inside with a friend, about 3.44am on April 11, 2021.
The nightclubbers — who were having a cigarette at the popular Saturday night queer dance Poof Doof — declined to continue the conversation with Cr Mohamud and asked her to “leave them alone”.
But the Greens councillor “grabbed (Ms Taha’s) hair through the barred window of the smoking area”, causing Ms Taha to run out of the nightclub through the fire exit and chase Cr Mohamud down Bray St.
According to a summary of the offending, Ms Taha pushed the councillor to the ground and punched her to the head, causing extensive facial injuries including bleeding from the eyes.
Ms Taha was charged with affray and recklessly causing injury while Cr Mohamud, who was hospitalised from the assault, faces charges of drunk and disorderly and offensive behaviour.
The manager of the nightclub later told police his view was that the “entire incident ... was incredibly homophobic and transphobic and aggressive” towards Ms Taha and her friend.
“He describes Ms Mohamud and her party as being quite physically aggressive”, defence lawyer Sarah Abell told the court.
The club manager’s statement, read in part during a hearing on Monday, led Magistrate Alexandra Burt to confirm that Cr Mohamud, despite being viewed as being aggressive, was the victim in the incident.
Ms Taha later told police during an interview that she “used some force against her, which I did not intend to do”.
In a short diversion hearing, the court heard the St Kilda woman had a “significant trauma history” and suffered many assaults in her hometown in Malaysia because of her transgender identity.
Ms Abell said her client’s violence towards Cr Mohamud was a “trauma response” to having her hair pulled, and that she would be getting trauma counselling through the Queerspace program.
An “extremely sorry and very remorseful” Ms Taha had no criminal history and has applied for a diversion of the charges, which would mean she could avoid a criminal conviction.
Her Honour Ms Burt adjourned the matter to October 6 pending a counselling report.
Cr Mohamud will contest her charges at a three-day hearing in mid-October.
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