Restaurateur Alan Yazbek avoids conviction for displaying nazi sign during pro-Palestine rally

A high-profile restaurateur has walked away without a conviction after holding an anti-Israel sign bearing a swastika during a heated rally on the anniversary eve of Hamas’s deadly attacks.

Alan Yazbek pleaded guilty to displaying the nazi symbol during a pro-Palestine rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park on October 6.

The co-owner of the Nomad Restaurant Group appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, when he was issued a 12-month conditional release without a conviction.

Magistrate Miranda Moody said she accepted Yazbek deeply regretted his actions and was not a “neo-Nazi or right-wing extremist”.

The homemade sign featured the words “stop Nazi Israel” and bore the colours of the Israeli flag with a swastika in place of the Star of David.

When approached by police officers during the protest, Yazbek described the image as an “Israeli swastika”, according to court documents.

The Lebanon-born 56-year-old was also photographed on the same day holding a flag in colours matching those of militant group Hezbollah, which is a listed terrorist organisation in Australia.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Yazbek’s lawyer Phillip English tendered documents on his behalf, including a written apology, letters of support from Jewish friends and copies of media articles.

“It’s got some media attention,” Mr English said of the case.

Following Yazbek’s guilty plea, his wife and business partner Rebecca Yazbek said he would no longer be involved in managing Nomad’s operations, citing a public and hospitality industry backlash.

The company operates the critically acclaimed Nomad restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne, where it also owns the French-themed Reine & La Rue.

In an earlier statement, Yazbek apologised and acknowledged his actions were “deeply offensive to the Jewish community”.

“Friends and acquaintances who know me - both Jewish and gentile - know that I am not an anti-Semite,” he said.

Yazbek added he had been traumatised every day by the ongoing bloodshed in the Middle East.

“Within Israel, in Palestine and now in Lebanon. We must make it stop,” he said.

“To the wider Jewish community, and in particular my Jewish friends, staff and guests of Nomad both past and present, I offer an olive branch of peace and love.”

Yazbek was among thousands of people who attended the city-centre rally, which was held a day before the anniversary of Hamas’s deadly October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.

He was arrested and charged with knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol in public without reasonable excuse, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison or an $11,000 fine.

The laws were passed by state parliament in 2022 with unanimous support in response to what was said at the time to be rising cases of anti-Semitism.