Man jailed for mimicking ‘gut-wrenching’ Bondi shooting
Source: AAP
A man seen mimicking the Bondi massacre before spouting slurs against Jewish people has been jailed – but his lawyer says he’s not antisemitic.
Zayne Jason William McMillan, 23, was heavily intoxicated when he and a friend went to Bondi Beach, six weeks after the Islamic State-inspired mass shooting.
“[The shooting] was horrific, it was gut-wrenching, it was just a developing ongoing drama and trauma,” Judge Michael Barko said in sentencing the First Nations man on Tuesday.
McMillan was seen on January 31 on the same Bondi footbridge from where the shooters opened fire, posing as though he held a long-arm firearm while his friend took photographs, according to agreed facts presented to the court.
Barko gave him a 12-month jail sentence, with a non-parole period of nine months.
Earlier, defence barrister Stephen Alexander said his client was not an ideological antisemite.
“What he did say was antisemitic but he didn’t go out of his way to be an antisemite,” Alexander said.
“He does not consider himself as being a racist towards the Jewish community.”
Barko rejected this, noting McMillan had singled out Jews during his 35-minute tirade.
“Not one other faith, belief or culture was referred to,” he said.
McMillan, a 23-year-old Dubbo bricklayer, watched the sentencing by audiovisual link from Shortland prison near Cessnock, stroking his goatee while Barko spoke.
He got a discounted sentence after earlier pleading guilty to three counts of offensive behaviour in a public place and two counts of intimidation. He will be eligible for release on November 3.
On the footbridge, the First Nations bricklayer yelled, “F— the Jews”.
“I’m a Koori I can do what I like,” he said.

Zayne McMillan pretended to hold a gun on the same footbridge used to carry out the Bondi attack. Photo: X
McMillan then verbally threatened a 47-year-old man walking by with his family after they made eye-contact.
“Do you wanna f—ing go? I’ll f—in’ bash ya. This is my f—in’ land,” he said.
The 23-year-old rode a bicycle to Waverley Oval where he intimidated a second visibly Jewish victim walking with his son to a synagogue by yelling antisemitic remarks.
He rode onto Bondi Junction, where he continued yelling racist slurs after falling off his bike.
He was arrested by NSW Police on February 4.
On Tuesday, Alexander told the court the incident was sparked by someone responding to his client yelling, “Free Palestine” on the footbridge.
“You’re stealing land and killing woman and children … just like the white man,” he allegedly said.
Alexander said McMillan had taken a mix of alcohol, ketamine, MDMA and magic mushrooms.
A psychologist had also provisionally diagnosed McMillan with a complex post-traumatic background due to a deprived childhood.
Barko noted McMillan was on parole at the time, breaching conditions imposed by taking illicit substances and committing further offences.
Outside court, Alexander said the sentence imposed was pretty fair.
“My client’s pretty pleased with it,” he said.
“He’ll just get on with his life and hopefully will do a lot better when he comes out.”
In March, the Local Court heard McMillan wanted to apologise to the court for his conduct. However, there was no direct apology on Tuesday.
McMillan’s friend has been charged over the incident with a warrant out for his arrest.
Accused terrorist Naveed Akram and his father Sajid opened fire during Hannukah celebrations at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14.
Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl, and 40 people were injured, while Sajid Akram was shot dead by police.
-AAP
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