An unemployed man who posted on Facebook suggesting throwing eggs, fruit and stink bombs at synagogues and Jewish businesses has been spared jail.
Michael Brown, 45, responded to a post on the social media site with a suggestion to “target local synagogues and Jewish businesses”, and ended the message with the words: “Does anyone has [sic] a good recipe for roasted synagogue?”
In a police interview, Brown, from Newhaven, East Sussex, claimed his post was a “joke”, but pleaded guilty to sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message.
At Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, District Judge Sam Goozee gave Brown an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for one year.
The judge said: “The message was targeting the Jewish community and their synagogues and Jewish businesses.
“It would be inevitable that any member of the community who would read that post would be alarmed by its content.”
The judge said the offence was aggravated by racial hostility.
He went on: “It was posted at a time when the backdrop and environment were such that it was inevitable the words you used would affect the Jewish community.”
Brown must complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and 80 hours of unpaid work.
Prosecutor Emily Thornton said the post was made on February 28, the day the US and Israel launched their war on Iran.
The original post by the Brighton and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign had been critical of the war, calling it an “attack on yet another sovereign state”.
The court heard that Brown wrote in his Facebook post: “It’s about time to target local synagogues and Jewish businesses with overripe fruit and stink bombs.
“Let’s all buy a pack of six eggs and pelt the local synagogues. Then we can throw bags of flour. And before you know it, we can make Jewish Muffins.
“Jews have a right to defend themselves using the Bible as a navigation tool. Watch out, these guys eat pretzels, which is just weird.
“What does everyone like to drink with their Jewish Muffins?
“And does anyone has [sic] good recipe for roasted synagogue?”
The comment was reported to police that day, and Brown was arrested on March 1.
Brown sat in the dock, wearing a brown and blue checked jacket with his hair in a bun, with his eyes closed during the hearing.
Four members of his family were seated in the public gallery.
James Yates, defending, said: “At the time of the comments, he had recently lost his job and was spending too much time alone by himself, isolated and online and becoming emotional over things he was reading.”
He said Brown has now deleted his Facebook account and is engaged in a “wellness programme”, having been diagnosed with ADHD.
Thornton said that, in police interview, Brown admitted making the post and he insisted “it was a joke and he didn’t mean any offence”.
The court heard he has a drink-driving conviction from last June, but no other past offences on his record.
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