A man who mimicked the Bondi beach terror attack and made antisemitic slurs has been jailed for 12 months. Zayne Jason William McMillan, 23, was heavily intoxicated when he acted out the shooting on a footbridge in January, six weeks after the attack that killed 15 people.
McMillan pleaded guilty to three counts of offensive behaviour and two of intimidation. He posed as if holding a long-arm firearm on the same Bondi footbridge involved in the attack while a friend took photos. He then threatened a man walking with his family and shouted antisemitic remarks at a visibly Jewish man heading to a synagogue with his son.
During sentencing at Downing Centre Local Court, Judge Michael Barko described the original attack as 'horrific and gut-wrenching' and noted McMillan had singled out Jews during his 35-minute tirade. 'Not one other faith, belief or culture was referred to,' the judge said, rejecting defence claims that McMillan was not an ideological antisemite.
Defence barrister Stephen Alexander argued his client's tirade was antisemitic but that he did not consider himself racist against the Jewish community. The court heard McMillan had taken a mix of alcohol, ketamine, MDMA and magic mushrooms and had a complex post-traumatic background from a deprived childhood. He was on parole at the time of the offences.
Judge Barko imposed a 12-month sentence with a non-parole period of nine months, noting the offences breached parole conditions. Outside court, Alexander called the sentence 'a pretty fair outcome', saying McMillan would serve his time and hopefully improve upon release. McMillan's friend involved in the incident has been charged and a warrant issued for his arrest.
