An Australian man who called Jews “the greatest enemy” of the country during a public rally has been sentenced to a year in prison, in one of the first major cases under Australia’s newly expanded hate crime laws.

Brandon Koschel, 31, was jailed after delivering an antisemitic speech at an anti-immigration march in Sydney on Australia Day, Jan. 26.

During the 40-second address, Koschel accused Jewish groups of influencing hate speech laws and claimed Jews were responsible for undermining Western civilization.

“The Jews are the greatest enemy to this nation,” Koschel said in remarks later cited in court. “They are an enemy to Western civilization.”

The speech, which drew cheers from some in the crowd, circulated online and prompted widespread condemnation.

On Tuesday, Magistrate Sharon Freund found Koschel guilty of publicly inciting hatred on the grounds of race and causing fear. She said the remarks were “clearly antisemitic” and constituted vilification of Jewish people.

Freund told the court that Koschel would have been aware that his words could be republished and potentially incite violence. She also cited the vulnerability of Australia’s Jewish community in the aftermath of the Chanukah attack in Bondi, in which 15 people were murdered.

“The indication or normalization of hatred directed at the Jewish people will not be tolerated,” Freund said, adding that the sentence was intended to deter others.

Koschel pleaded guilty, and the court noted that he showed no remorse.

The case marks one of the first major sentencing decisions since the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese introduced sweeping new legislation targeting antisemitism and extremism in January.

The Combating Antisemitism, Hate, and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 significantly expanded federal hate crime provisions. The law increases penalties for offenses involving racial or religious hatred, establishes aggravated sentences for leaders who advocate violence, broadens bans on extremist symbols, and creates a framework for outlawing organizations that engage in hate-related conduct.

The legislation also tightened regulations on firearms and extremist activity.

Freund said she carefully considered whether Koschel’s remarks met the threshold for prosecution under the new framework.

“The laws were made in response to antisemitic acts,” she said. “Violence starts with language.”

Court documents also noted that Koschel was previously associated with the National Socialist Network, a neo-Nazi group that disbanded in January ahead of the new legislation’s implementation. In a statement at the time, the group acknowledged that the incoming laws would likely lead to its prohibition.

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