Lockdown activist Anthony Khallouf locked up for months

Self-confessed protest organiser Anthony Khallouf jailed for multiple breaches of public health orders and other offences.

Self-confessed protest organiser Anthony Khallouf, founder of Australians vs The Agenda, has been jailed for eight month. Picture: Liam Mendes

An anti-lockdown activist who drove from Queensland to Sydney to help organise an ­unauthorised protest scheduled for Saturday has wiped away tears as he was sentenced to eight months’ jail for multiple breaches of public health orders and other offences.

Anthony Khallouf, one of the organisers behind last month’s violent anti-lockdown rally, was arrested on Thursday after The Australian revealed he had travelled to Sydney and checked into a luxury hotel.

Hornsby Local Court heard on Friday that Khallouf travelled extensively throughout Sydney after arriving on Sunday, including visiting a relative in the Covid-ravaged west of the city, before being tracked down at a train station in Sydney’s north.

Despite claiming he was ‘couch surfing’ in Sydney, Anthony Khallouf was actually staying in a harbour view room at the View Hotel in North Sydney. Picture: Supplied

The 29-year-old was also convicted of “false representation resulting in police investigation” after telling followers on Instagram on Wednesday to call police because his life was in ­danger.

“I need everybody to call NSW Police right now and tell them that there’s threats to my life,” he wrote.

“This caused several people to contact police … causing police to investigate those claims and no doubt taking up significant ­resources,” magistrate Robyn Denes said.

“He’s contacted his followers with this fake assertion that his life is in imminent danger, ­requiring police resources to be diverted from real emergencies and real police work to investigate him, his whereabouts, and that is a significant issue in the current climate.”

Khallouf, the founder of protest group Australians vs The Agenda, was living off donations from supporters and the sale of merchandise, telling The Australian on Tuesday he was “couch surfing” despite actually having a seven-day booking in a harbour view room at a North Sydney hotel.

Anthony Khallouf leaves The View hotel in North Sydney earlier this week. Picture: Liam Mendes

The court was told Khallouf played a role in organising Victorian protests last year, and by travelling to Queensland and then NSW, and not residing in Victoria, he was automatically in breach of his bail conditions.

He is currently facing incitement, drug possession and breach of bail charges in Victoria.

Khallouf was sentenced to a maximum of eight months in prison with a non-parole period of three months. He is due to be released on parole on November 18. NSW police have repeatedly urged people not to attend Saturday’s anti-lockdown protest, warning anyone planning to break stay-at-home orders will face fines.