A patriot? No, you're a coward
A MAN twice convicted for his role in Cronulla's race riots yesterday tried to claim he had "great remorse" for his actions, despite almost two years of denying he was even involved.
Brent Lohman, now 20, claimed he was an "innocent spectator" of the violence on December 11, 2005.
But Judge Christopher Geraghty yesterday rejected his version and described the actions of the rioters as "a disgraceful outburst of brainless bigotry and poisonous racism".
"Unlike the noble men of the past, whom they pretended to honour by waving flags around, by draping themselves in our precious symbol, by chanting our sacred songs and antiphons 'Aussie Aussie, Aussie', they proved themselves drunken yobbos (and) gutless cowards," he said.
"This disgraceful behaviour was an affront to our country and they damaged our reputation overseas."
Lohman was charged over an attack against Ali Hashimi at Cronulla train station.
He had an Australian flag draped around his shoulders during the incident and was repeatedly captured in graphic photographs taken by The Daily Telegraph.He became one of the faces of the riot, which targeted people of Middle Eastern appearance.
The court heard Lohman punched Mr Hashimi, but defence barrister Les Nicholls said it was in self-defence in a "one-on-one altercation".
Originally sentenced to a maximum 11 months jail, he appealed his conviction and sentence.
Judge Geraghty found Lohman was not defending himself but had intended to use violence in the attack on Mr Hashimi and did so in common purpose with at least 12 other men.
Judge Geraghty took exception to claims of innocence by the accused, including his assertion that as an Australian he had "the right" to wear the flag that day.
Police found he had a flag strung across his bedroom alongside newspaper cuttings depicting the violence - added to the judge's scepticism.
"It seems to me not so much an act of patriotism, more like some kind of bravado, some kind of shameful statement of twisted patriotism," he said.
After the appeal was dismissed, Mr Nicholls tendered documents for consideration on sentence.
Judge Geraghty will sentence again in December.
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