Jewish Psychologist Arrested Under Queensland's Controversial New Laws
Stephen Heydt, a 73-year-old Jewish clinical psychologist, woke up on Saturday, donned a custom-made T-shirt, and with the aid of a walking stick, headed to a rally in Brisbane. There, he was promptly arrested by a heavily armed police contingent, becoming one of the first individuals charged under Queensland's new laws targeting antisemitic hate speech.
Heydt stated, "I was wearing a T-shirt which displayed the six-word phrase which I can't say, and I gave a speech using the six-word phrase which I can't say." He was charged with two offences: one for the shirt and one for the chanting. The T-shirt read, "Jews for a free Palestine from the river to the sea," a phrase he had printed in Melbourne to avoid implicating local businesses.
Weekend of Protests Leads to Multiple Arrests
Heydt was among 22 people arrested over the weekend for displaying or reciting prohibited expressions, bringing the total to 25 since the laws were enacted last month. Police confiscated his shirt during the arrest.
Also arrested was Palestinian Australian student Zac Karaniki, who described being "ripped away" by a "huge wave of cops" and held in a watch house for eight hours after holding a banner with a banned phrase.
Legal Context and Civil Liberties Concerns
The new Queensland laws proscribe phrases such as "from the river to the sea" and "globalise the intifada." If uttered in a manner that could cause "menace, harassment or offence," offenders face up to two years' imprisonment.
Criminal lawyer Terry O'Gorman compared the situation to the 1970s under former premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, when mass arrests followed amendments to suppress street protests. O'Gorman argued, "This is very reminiscent, it is a very similar scenario to what occurred in October 77," highlighting concerns over freedom of speech and civil liberties.
Government and Community Responses
Premier David Crisafulli defended the laws, stating they aim to balance protest rights with stamping out phrases he links to genocide and terrorism, referencing the Bondi attack. However, Heydt, who fled apartheid-era South Africa and has worked in Gaza, interprets the phrase as advocating for "people's inalienable right to be free."
Jewish organisations, like the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies, support the laws. President Jason Steinberg called the phrase a "terrorist slogan that calls for the annihilation of others," asserting Brisbane should have no room for such rhetoric.
Activists Plan Legal Challenges
Edward Carroll, another Jewish speaker arrested at the rally, emphasized the importance of Jewish voices in the pro-Palestine movement, arguing the laws silence dissent against Israel. Student activist William Sim, arrested alongside Karaniki, plans to contest the charges, drawing parallels with Indigenous Australian struggles.
The activist group Justice for Palestine Magan-djin is coordinating a High Court challenge, claiming the laws are invalid under the Australian constitution. O'Gorman believes they have a "strong case," noting the political motivations behind the legislation.
