Second man fronts court for alleged display of Hezbollah flag at Melbourne protest
The AFP has been granted three months to engage an ‘expert’ witness in its case against a man accused of displaying a terrorist flag at a Melbourne rally.
The Australian Federal Police has been granted three months to engage an “expert” witness in its case against a Broadmeadows man accused of displaying a terrorist flag at a Melbourne rally.
Hasanain al-Sherif, 34, was issued with a court summons by the AFP on February 6 for the alleged public display of a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol, being a Hezbollah flag.
He fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a brief administrative hearing in which the AFP requested the case be adjourned for 12 weeks.
The court heard the delay was to allow prosecutors time to engage an “expert” to provide a report, as well as extracting evidence from a mobile device.
“The AFP will be serving further digital forensic evidence,” the court was told.
“An expert report will be served as soon as possible.”
Magistrate Pauline Spencer granted the adjournment after the defence raised no opposition.
Police allege Mr Sherif displayed a Hezbollah flag during a protest that formed part of a “national day of action for Gaza” on September 29, 2024.
The protest followed the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike two days earlier.
Another man was charged in December last year for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during the same protest.
New parliamentary laws were introduced in January 2024 prohibiting the public display of Nazi or terror symbols, including Hezbollah, with a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison.
The AFP said the public display of a prohibited symbol on its own did not meet the threshold of a commonwealth offence.
To be considered an offence, the symbol had to be displayed in circumstances likely to intimidate, humiliate, offend or insult a “reasonable person” because they were a member of a group distinguished by race, religion, sex, national origin, or political opinion.
Mr Al-Sherif’s court summons was issued by Special Operation Avalite.
He will return to court on June 11.
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