SYDNEY – A 34-year-old man who delivered a brief considered antisemitic speech during an Australia Day rally has been sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Brandan Koschel appeared before the Downing Centre Local Court on February 18, 2026, where he was sentenced under New South Wales’ hate speech laws for intentionally inciting hatred.
The Incident
The charges stem from the “March for Australia” anti-immigration protest held in Sydney’s city center on January 26, 2026. During an open-mic session toward the end of the rally, Koschel took the stage wearing a shirt adorned with a Celtic cross—a symbol frequently used by neo-Nazi groups.
In a speech lasting only 40 seconds, Koschel twice referred to Jewish people as the “greatest enemy” of the nation. He further aligned himself with extremist ideologies by “heiling” white Australia and Thomas Sewell, the leader of a prominent, recently disbanded neo-Nazi organization.
The Court’s Ruling
Magistrate Sharon Freund did not mince words during the sentencing, describing Koschel’s rhetoric as “clearly antisemitic” and designed to vilify a vulnerable community.
While Koschel entered an early guilty plea, which granted him a slight sentencing discount, the court found his lack of remorse particularly concerning. Magistrate Freund noted that the defendant showed no “insight into his offending” and emphasized that a custodial sentence was necessary to denounce such public displays of hatred.
Legal Significance
Koschel was charged under Section 93ZAA of the Crimes Act, a relatively new provision introduced to combat public incitement of violence or hatred based on race or religion.
