A Sydney man named Brandan Koschel was sentenced to one year in jail on February 18, 2026, after pleading guilty to publicly inciting hatred on the grounds of race for delivering an antisemitic speech at a “March for Australia” rally in Sydney on Australia Day, January 26. The sentence includes a non-parole period of nine months. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
During the rally, Koschel spoke for about 40 seconds during an open mic session and twice referred to Jewish people as “the greatest enemy to this nation,” according to court records. The comments were broadcast and shared online. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Koschel was charged under New South Wales hate-speech laws and prosecuted for causing fear and vilifying the Jewish community. Magistrate Sharon Freund described the speech as clearly antisemitic and noted that it could be republished and potentially incite further hatred. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
The court heard that Koschel’s remarks came at a nationally observed protest and were made in front of hundreds of attendees. He pleaded guilty and will be eligible to apply for parole in October 2026. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
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