Jon-Bernard Kairouz had risen to fame on the social media platform calling himself “the people’s Premier”,after he correctly “predicted” the NSW COVID-19 daily case numbers before they were announced at the 11am press conference.
TikTok comedian Jon-Bernard Kairouz “predicting” NSW case numbers.Supplied
Speaking at the march in the CBD in July,the 24-year-old told the crowd:“For everyone that’s here – small businesses,people that are doing it tough – all we want is freedom.”
Police arrested 63 attendees when the protest,,turned violent. More arrests were made after the protest,and more than 60 people were eventually charged with a variety of offences,including assaulting a police officer and striking a police horse.
Mr Kairouz was charged with two counts of not complying with COVID-19 directions and one count of encouraging the commission of crimes.
His solicitor Eidan Havas entered pleas of not guilty to all counts when the case came before Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday.
Mr Havas confirmed to theHerald on Wednesday that his client had given instructions from the intensive care unit at St George Hospital,where he was admitted with COVID-19.
“This should highlight to everyone in NSW how serious COVID-19 is and everyone should be getting vaccinated and staying home in order to stop the transmission of this terrible virus,” Mr Havas said.
By Wednesday afternoon,Mr Kairouz was no longer in ICU.
The case was adjourned to Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on October 26.
When the TikToker’s streak of getting the case numbers right came to an end in July,NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard thought to be leaking him the daily case numbers.
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