Cyclist rode into Leeds Palestine demonstration before squaring up
An angry cyclist purposely rode through the middle of city-centre pro-Palestine demonstration before making a homophobic remark.
Darren Walker said he was furious about the anti-semitic tone of the gathering along Leeds’ Headrow.
The 40-year-old admitted a charge of threatening unlawful violence and was given a community order at Leeds Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard that the march was held on May 22 and was heading in the direction of the town hall.
Walker was riding his bicycle towards them, then tried to head through the middle of the them and against the flow.
He was stopped by one demonstrator who put his arm out to prevent him going any further.
Walker reacted angrily and pushed the man three times while becoming verbally aggressive.
He asked the man: “What are you going to do about it?”
He then called the man a “f****** f****t”.
The police intervened and led him away from the crowd. Arrested, he gave a no-comment interview.
Walker, of Bear Pit Gardens, Headingley, has 23 previous convictions for 47 offences, including public order offences.
Mitigating, Mark Pritchard said Walker was “angry about the level anti-semitism” and was “standing up for the Jewish people”.
He described the incident as “relatively short-lived” and that nobody was injured.
He said despite his record, Walker had stayed out of trouble for the past eight years.
Walker was given a 12-month community order and complete up to 15 rehabilitation days with probation.
He was also ordered to pay costs of £85, plus a £114 surcharge.