Anti-lockdown protester avoids jail after condemnation

A man involved in Sydney's anti-lockdown protest has narrowly avoided jail after a Magistrate said he had earned condemnation of the entire state.

Last month thousands marched into the CBD, with chants and banners against the current COVID-19 restrictions. 

Eleven of those charged were scheduled to appear in Downing Local Court today, among them a man who threw pepper at a police officer.

READ MORE: Eight arrested, 250 fined during operation to discourage Sydney anti-lockdown protests

Ronald McLean told the court he was not part of the organisation.

"I didn't know there was a thing on at that park. I just pulled over to see what was going on. The rest is history," McLean said.

He admitted he threw the pepper once involved and that he later told officers he would have stabbed them if he had a knife.

Magistrate Jennifer Giles' voice rose as she delivered her sentence.

"It cannot have escaped even someone like you … we are in the midst of a pandemic, it's a national emergency and everyone has got to pull their weight and when people behave the way you do the whole social fabric starts to fall apart," she said.

READ MORE: Man charged with assault of police officer during 'volatile' anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne

"At this moment the police are hanging on by their fingernails, at this point, so shame on you."

"You have the condemnation and the denunciation of the entire state."

But McLean narrowly avoided jail, with the Magistrate noting he had not offended in the last decade.

He was handed an Intensive Corrections Order instead, which is a sentence served under supervision in the community. 

Nikola Dedovic pleaded not guilty via an email from his lawyer.