Australian Defence League head Ralph Cerminara charged over brawl in Lakemba, Sydney
Updated
The head of an anti-Islamic group has been charged over a brawl in Sydney's south-western suburb of Lakemba.
Police had to separate about 10 men fighting in Haldon Street shortly after 8:30pm AEDT on Monday.
Ralph Cerminara, 36, who is the leader of the Australian Defence League (ADL), and another member of the group, Zane Commins, 19, have been charged with affray and behaving in an offensive manner.
Both will face Parramatta Bail Court today.
A 43-year-old man from Wiley Park, who is not an ADL member, has been granted bail after also being charged with affray and resist or hinder police in the execution of duty.
Two men suffered minor injuries in the brawl while an officer sustained fractures to his left shoulder and is undergoing hospital treatment.
Superintendent Michael McLean said it would be alleged that the men charged intended to cause trouble.
"Two men attended Haldon Street, Lakemba last night and we are satisfied that they did so to cause unrest in Haldon Street," he said.
"We're satisfied that they did make religiously motivated comments towards those in the community and we're certainly satisfied that those comments did cause a degree of unrest in the community.
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, religion-and-beliefs, police, lakemba-2195
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