A Sydney teenager has appeared in court after allegedly threatening the president of Israel. Darcy Tinning, 19, is accused of posting a social media threat to shoot Isaac Herzog before the president's upcoming visit. Prosecutors have described the post as hate speech.

Following his arrest, police charged Tinning with using a carriage service (a legal term for using the internet or a phone) to make a death threat. Authorities refused him bail at the station.

During the hearing, a prosecutor told the court that the threats were particularly serious because of the current political tensions. Tinning’s lawyer argued that while the comments were inappropriate, they were not aimed at specific individuals. The lawyer also noted that Tinning did not have access to any guns.

The legal proceedings are expected to continue.