Covid-19: Life of luxury for anti-lockdown inciter

One of the activists behind last month’s violent anti-lockdown march has slipped into Sydney from his base in Queensland to organise another illegal protest.

Anthony Khallouf leaves the Sydney hotel where he is staying.

One of the activists behind last month’s violent anti-lockdown march has slipped into Sydney from his base in Queensland to organise another illegal protest scheduled for Saturday, claiming 100,000 followers will defy police orders to stay away.

Anthony Khallouf, the founder of Australians vs The Agenda, arrived in Sydney at the weekend after driving from Queensland in breach of travel restrictions, and has spent the past two days moving around Sydney in disregard of public health orders.

Mr Khallouf, a personal trainer originally from Victoria, is living off donations from supporters and the sale of merchandise but refuses to say how much money he has raised. He has more than 25,000 followers on his social media platforms.

“What I’m doing now has become another sustainable form of business for myself. I guess just as a sole trader, as an entrepreneur, I’ve been able to pivot my previous experiences into a new ­avenue,” he told The Australian.

Mr Khallouf claimed he was staying with grateful supporters in Sydney. “I’ve had lots of people graciously extend a free room or a couch or whatever the case may be. I’m couchsurfing at the ­moment,” he said.

The Australian has confirmed this is untrue.

After arriving in Sydney on Sunday, Mr Khallouf booked into View Sydney, a luxury four-star hotel with expansive views overlooking Sydney harbour and the city.

Anti-lockdown activist Anthony Khallouf travelled to Sydney from Queensland ahead of planned planned protests in Sydney on Saturday. Khallouf is staying at the View hotel in North Sydney which boasts stunning views.

Mr Khallouf is booked into the hotel for seven days in a superior harbour view room with waterfall shower. A seven-day booking on the hotel’s website quotes the room at $1054.40.

However, Mr Khallouf insists that “99 per cent of the revenue that comes through is redistributed back into what we do anyway”.

“We reinvest it in all different fields, whether it be improving our social media presence, building our website, creating more awareness, whether it be through distributing flyers or other forms of advertising campaigns,” he said.

Mr Khallouf, who played a role in organising the protests in Victoria last year, is currently on bail and facing incitement, drug possession and breach of bail charges in Victoria.

Self confessed protest organiser Anthony Khallouf in Sydney.

The Australians vs The Agenda website claims to “fight for everyday Aussies who have been oppressed, arrested and charged by a tyrannical Australian Government that treats us like political prisoners and does not have our best interests in mind”.

NSW police say they are aware of an unauthorised anti-lockdown protest planned for this weekend, urging all people not to attend. Anyone planning to break stay-at-home orders to attend has been threatened with fines and harsh penalties.

Mr Khallouf said he did not support the violence that occurred at the last Sydney protests, which saw wild clashes with police, assaults on journalists and dozens of arrests.

However, after being contacted by The Australian, Mr Khal­louf posted a photograph of this reporter to supporters on at least one of his social media accounts.