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A Sydney teenager allegedly threatened to kill Israeli President Isaac Herzog with a pistol ahead of his five-day visit to Australia beginning on Sunday and made antisemitic remarks online in X posts that also targeted US President Donald Trump.
The threat towards Herzog, whom Prime Minister Anthony Albanese invited to Australia following the Bondi massacre, was allegedly made by Darcy Tinning on January 19. In the post he also allegedly called for the extinction of the Jewish community.
Federal and NSW Police seized the iPhone belonging to Tinning in a raid of his Newtown family home on Wednesday, allegedly finding screenshots of the alleged threats on the device.
He was charged with using a carriage service to make a death threat. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment. A small amount of cannabis was also allegedly seized in the raid.
Tinning appeared in the bail court on Thursday, speaking only to confirm his identity and when asked by the magistrate to share his father’s name.
The federal prosecution opposed bail, concerned Tinning might follow through on the “violent” threat levelled at Herzog once the Israeli president arrives in Sydney.
“An unacceptable risk exists which can’t be mitigated if [he is] released,” the federal prosecutor told the court. “No bail can mitigate against that risk.”
Tinning was represented by barrister Brendan Green, who argued neither Tinning nor his family have access to firearms, and that he had no violent history nor association with extremist groups.
“He has strong community ties, lives with his parents and siblings, is to be a full-time student through TAFE studies commencing in 2026,” Green said.
“He’s someone who I suggest will be able to comply and can comply with whatever strict bail conditions the court considers is appropriate.”
Green suggested a house arrest could be imposed on Tinning, who, under the proposed condition, could only leave his residence with his mother or father.
Magistrate Daniel Covington found that bail concerns were “heightened” ahead of Herzog’s visit and after the Bondi massacre.
Green acknowledged his client’s remarks were “completely inappropriate”, but suggested they were a “completely abhorrent, albeit one-off aberration”.
The investigation was led by the Australian Federal Police’s national security investigations team, established by Commissioner Krissy Barrett in October as part of measures to crack down on groups targeting the Jewish community.
Nationwide protests against Herzog’s visit are planned for Monday.
Herzog’s largely ceremonial position in the Israeli government is similar to that of the Australian governor-general, and he doesn’t have direct influence in government decision-making on military affairs in Gaza.
Rallies in Sydney’s northern CBD and eastern suburbs were restricted for another fortnight on Tuesday, as NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon raised public safety concerns ahead of Herzog’s visit, which is expected to encompass Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra before he leaves Australia at the end of the week.
The Sydney demonstration is planned to take place at Town Hall and march to NSW Parliament House. Both locations are among the places subject to the police restriction on moving demonstrations.
Lanyon has signalled police would facilitate a march from Hyde Park and travelling away from Macquarie Street, but warned against a demonstration “with so much animosity [that] could present a risk to community safety”.
It comes as a 22-year-old allegedly mimicked the actions of the Bondi massacre at the Campbell Parade pedestrian bridge on Saturday night, including the action of shooting firearms at people near the bridge.
Zayne McMillan, who was accompanied at the bridge by another man, is alleged to have verbally abused bystanders after he was confronted over his actions.
Police charged McMillan in Coogee on Wednesday afternoon with two counts of stalking and intimidating with the intent to fear and cause harm, and three counts of behaving in an offensive manner in a public place. He will appear in court on Thursday.
There have been 10 antisemitic incidents under investigation by NSW Police over the past two weeks.
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Daniel Lo Surdo is a breaking news reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He previously helmed the national news live blog for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.From our partners
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