Arabic version: رجل يُحكم عليه بأعمال خدمة المجتمع بسبب تهديد المسجد
A 33-year-old man, Louis Rapisarda, has been sentenced to 60 hours of community service after threatening worshippers at a Brisbane mosque in May. According to ABC News, Rapisarda pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Magistrates Court to disturbing the peace at a place of worship and creating a public nuisance.
The incident occurred on May 10 when Rapisarda, while driving past Mitchelton Presbyterian Church, yelled “Allahu Akbar” at a group of people. He then proceeded to the Masjid Taqwah Mosque in Bald Hills, where he repeated the phrase and claimed to be armed with an AK-47. The court noted that this behavior was out of character for Rapisarda, who has no prior criminal history.
Rapisarda’s legal team attributed his actions to a bipolar diagnosis, stating he was unmedicated at the time of the incident. The magistrate did not record a criminal conviction against him, reflecting the court’s consideration of his circumstances.
Outside the court, Rapisarda expressed his remorse, stating, “I’d like to thoroughly apologise to the Muslim community. I regret my actions.” The Chairman of the mosque, Mohammed Akbery, commented on the impact of the incident, noting that the community felt “shaken” and unsafe. He emphasized the importance of addressing heated rhetoric that can lead to such distressing situations.
