Jalal Brothers ordered to apologise for video stunts depicting fake terrorists
YOUTUBE pranksters the Jalal Brothers have apologised to a court for a drive-by shooting skit but was warned to not copy Johnny Depp.
PRANKSTERS the Jalal Brothers were warned not to “do a Johnny Depp” and sincerely apologise for a drive-by shooting skit that could have caused fear in the community.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg this morning placed Mariwan and Arman Jalal on a diversion on condition that they delivered a sincere apology for the skit filmed in February in Lalor.
“I’d certainly not be using Johnny Depp as a role model in this case. Compose something appropriate,” Mr Rozencwajg said.
The court was adjourned for an hour while the pair composed their apology.
Mr Rozencwajg agreed to let media film the apology.
“Our primary goal was to entertain people ... it is obvious that in the past we have not made the best decisions. We were new to all of this at the time, although this has been a really good wake up call,” Mariwan Jalal said.
“We plan on pursuing a career in entertainment with better choices in the future.”
Police dropped two charges of public nuisance, leaving just a single charge behaving in an offensive manner in a public place.
Mr Rozencwajg said the Jalals “obviously have a successful future ahead of them” but said because the prank involved an imitation firearm panic could have been caused.
“Fear is contagious even if it is just play acting,” Mr Rozencwajg said.
The charges followed posts on social media of themselves dressed as Arabs and involved in phony terror attacks.
At previous court appearances, the Jalal brothers were swamped by schoolchildren seeking autographs and selfies, and the court heard they now have business managers in the United Kingdom and Canada.
“They’re planning on turning this in to a reputable business,” said their lawyer Thea Milides.
Ms Milides said the videos were “obviously humour” and that everyone depicted was in on the prank.
Since the Jalal brothers were charged, they have appeared on front pages and major television programs.
Their prank videos had been viewed 18 million times on YouTube and their Facebook page has 4.8 million likes.
Last week a Canadian company launched a “Jalal Brothers app” that has already been downloaded 10,000 times.
The brothers have admitted a drive-by shooting hoax involving a young girl was staged.
The Jalals told Channel 7 their most controversial skit involving a drive-by shooting was fake, with the young girl their 9-year-old cousin.
“Our latest drive-by shooting video was staged and they were all actors,” Mariwan “Max” Jalal said.
“Obviously we didn’t think this one through and think about the negativity it can cause.
“The little girl in that video is actually our cousin and the dad in that video is me on the payphone. It’s our brand, we do pranks and we didn’t want to admit it was fake.”
The brothers are of Kurdish background and arrived in Australia as toddlers.
Mariwan is studying law and both work at their parents restaurant in Wallan.
Both promised to be of good behaviour for six months.
Originally published as Jalal Brothers ordered to apologise for video stunts depicting fake terrorists
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