via Zim hero shames vile Australian racists 14 October 2014
HE stood calmly between his abuser and members of the public, unflinching as sickening racial slurs were hurled at him.
Josphat Mkhwananzi has been commended for ‘holding his own in a professional and peaceful manner’ as a teenager, who has now been charged along with another man, hurled a tirade of abuse at the guard on a Brisbane train with the shocking footage going viral.
The incident, which occurred October 2, was caught on video and posted online overnight.
It shows a teenager screaming obscenities at the Queensland Rail Security guard, who is from Zimbabwe, after he was told to take his feet off the seat just before midnight.
The seemingly simple request sparked an ugly torrent of racial abuse.
When the man is told to get off the train he refuses, and launches into a lengthy rant in which he calls the guard a “black dog”, “c***”, “n*****” and asks if he “even has citizenship”.
Warning: Video contains foul, racist and abusive language
Appearing at Brisbane magistrates court on Monday, Abdel-Kader Russell-Boumzar, an apprentice mechanic, was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm, creating a nuisance on a railway, threatening violence, common assault and using a carriage service to menace or harass.
Bronwyn Springer, the magistrate, said Russell-Boumzar’s behaviour had been “disgusting” and said jail was a possibility if he was found guilty of spitting on his victim.
Prosecutor sergeant Scott Pearson told the court police would also apply for an order that Russell-Boumzar be banned from train stations and tested for any diseases in light of the allegation of spitting.
Court documents filed by police, who wanted Russell-Boumzar to remain in custody “for his own safety and welfare”, state he has told investigators of “having suicidal thoughts as he has brought shame upon his family and his boss”.
The teenager had “shown remorse but more for his own family and himself than his actions towards [Mkhwananzi]”, police claim.
Russell-Boumzar’s friend, Bailey Clout, who filmed the incident and is heard laughing at his friend’s alleged behaviour in the footage, was fined $400 after pleading guilty to causing a disturbance on a railway.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has condemned the incident calling it “un-Australian”.
Abbott said he “absolutely deplored” the young man’s verbal attack on the guard after being asked to take his feet off the seat.
“I think it’s un-Australian to abuse someone in a public place just because you don’t like the way they look, or you don’t like the way they dress, or you make assumptions about what they believe,” he said.
“That’s completely un-Australian.”
A Facebook page believed to be that of the alleged offender issued an apology following claim earlier in the day that he was “proud to be white”.
“I was just drunk couldn’t remember shit so stop over reacting, but I am proud to be white!” a post on the site on Saturday night read.
It was followed up hours later with an apology, and a claim that an earlier post was not made by the alleged offender.
“I’m really sorry to everyone that was affected by the video I really cannot remember anything out of all honesty the post made before was someone else I know this is no excuse,” the post read, adding the admission that he had behaved like an “idiot”.
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said he had spoken to Mkhwananzi, and commended his behaviour.
“I have conveyed two things to him personally. Firstly, I thought he showed admirable restraint,” Newman said.
“I think he, from what I could see, responded very professionally in what was a very difficult situation, and I have thanked him for his great job as part of the Queensland Rail team.
“Secondly, I have conveyed to him my absolute disgust at what he was subjected to. I’ve told him how totally unacceptable it was.”
Newman said if the train guard did not make a complaint to police, the Government would take action on his behalf.
“We’ll look at whatever we can do [to] go after this individual,” he said.
“It was not on, totally inappropriate, and frankly just some sort of Facebook apology doesn’t cut the mustard, as far as I’m concerned.
“This is Australia, you’ve got to look after one another and respect one another.”
‘Joes’ employers, Securecorp, who are contracted by Queensland Rail, say they are extremely proud of ‘Joe’ in a ‘de-escalating situation’.
‘Securecorp would like to highlight and commend in particular, our security customer service officer who was personally subjected to this abuse on his ‘professional conduct and adhering to correct protocol whilst managing the situation in regards to the safety of all involved,’ said Securecorp’s Craig Harwood.
‘SECUREcorp would also like to thank the passengers and the general public for their support in this matter.’
COMMENTS
Disgusting incident to be condemned in the highest order. One has to ask the question if a white man was abused in such a manner in Zimbabwe would the government react like the Australian government and condemn it in the strongest terms??
Mind Boggles they would not, but I on the other hand will not be judged by the behaviour of an illegal Government. There is no comparison here.
THE MAJORITY OF AFRICANS ARE MORE FRIENDLY AND DOWN TO EARTH WE WILL NEVER STOOP LOW TO THAT EXTENT .THE GOVERNMENT CANT DO ANYTHING FOR ANYBODY BLACK OR WHITE,
DONT JUDGE ZIMBABWEANS ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS OF THE CURRENT REGIME THAT WE DID NOT EVEN VOTE FOR
He is another September 11 threat chuck him out of Australia in the next plane to Afghanistan he looks like Osama Bin Laden’s grand child
True Doc and appreciate your stance.
The Ozzies don’t put up with racism.
“Abdel-Kader Russell-Boumzar” – what nationality is that? eastern European? Arab? Doesn’t sound like a true-blue Ozzie to me!
Abdel-Kader Russell-Boumzar is actually a very Australian name. Australia has one of the most cosmopolitan societies on earth. Immigration has always been high. In the past 30 years many immigrants have been economic and occasionally political refugees, from places like South-East Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and a few from Africa.
Unfortunately despite being a cosmopolitan society racism is very strong in Australia. It has been most evident in the appalling mistreatment and abuse of Indigenous Australians, and the White Australia Policy of the earlier and middle part of last century. Australia has had institutionalized racism till very recently.
I’ve lived in Australia and can assure you that the attitudes of this young man are widely demonstrated.
Hopefully Zimbabweans can be better than this. We all need to fight institutionalized racism and confront ignorant attitudes in every country. None of us are inherently better than anyone else.
Well said!
An example of what Zimbabwe could be with Josphat as the leading example – he did say that every country has its bigots. As for the oxygen waster who vented his spleen should be made to go and live in Zimbabwe for few months. Pity Zimbabwe doesn’t have the legal system to arrest Gucci lips and king mugabage for their insults.
Racism is bad no matter where it takes place.To say it is excusable because of Zanu Pf is nonsense.At least in Oz the courts could act which would not happen in Zim.Land and indigenisation took place and nobody cared.Why complain now??
Daniel don’t try to spin. All we are saying is that Zanu is illegal and their policies are not representative of the Majority of Zimbabweans. If we can be honest whilst there are black and White racist in Zimbabwe Zanu use it for their own benefit. Don’t be fooled. They do sup with some white criminals which is common knowledge. This is a story about a racist man in a train and a Government that has laws against racism. Mugabe on the other hand has laws supporting racism visible the indigenization laws.Indigenous people normally refers to those groups specially protected in specified international or national legislation as having a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory, and their cultural or historical distinctiveness from other populations.[ This is based on the conclusion that certain indigenous people are vulnerable to exploitation, marginalization and oppression by nation states formed from colonising populations or by POLITICALLY DOMINANT, different ethnic groups. This would suggest to me that White people have now become “Indigenous” because they are being marginalized and oppressed by a POLITICALLY DOMINANT Zanu pf.
That apprentice must belong to ZPF
Josphat you are indeed a shining light. Well done in the way you handled the whole situation. You have not let the ugliness that is in your abusers heart come into your own. maybe you should come home and give ZPF lessons. You are a credit to us!
I’m ex Zim who lives in Australia and I can assure the pecentage of racists here to decent people is the same as Africa. A few marubbish dont represent a whole nation. To generalise only reinforces untrue sterotypes. Chokwadi!
From Oz.
We have some Zim refugees in our rural town and they have been welcomed, housed and fed. There is a rural refugee support network throughout Oz. We are quiet but it works.
Ndatenda chaiso (thank you very much) Brian. You are the Ozzie I know from experuence.
I was also so pleased to see that Josphat Mkhwananzi’s Employer publically commended Josphat Mkhwananzi for the professional way he handled this nasty teen racist. Josphat Mkhwananzi showed real leadership and managed the situation with a quiet calm. The approach by Josphat Mkhwananzi was dignified and powerful and credit to the man.