The New South Wales government is facing fierce criticism from pro-Palestine activists, Jewish groups, and civil liberty campaigners over a plan to restrict public protests in the wake of the Bondi Junction mass shooting. Premier Chris Minns announced the move on Wednesday, stating that rallies "would rip apart our community."
Plan to Ban Protests During 'Terrorism Designations'
Premier Chris Minns said the NSW Labor government would move to effectively ban protests during periods of a "terrorism designation," an undefined timeframe triggered by events like the Bondi attack. The crackdown would prevent organisers from lodging the required Form 1 to hold an authorised demonstration. This means protesters could face charges under the Summary Offences Act for actions like blocking traffic.
"I'm firmly of the view... that protests right now in Sydney would be incredibly terrible for our community, in fact, they would rip apart our community. Particularly, protests about international events," Minns stated. He also vowed to strengthen gun laws in the state.
The Premier argued that rallies could stretch police resources and fuel community disharmony, creating a "combustible situation." He acknowledged he could not promise to stop all protests but said the government could prevent mass demonstrations from "taking over the streets."
Jewish Groups and Activists Condemn 'Erosion of Freedoms'
The proposed restrictions have been condemned by groups who are typically vocal supporters of the Palestine movement. The Jewish Council of Australia warned against "allowing culture wars to distract and divide responses to Sunday’s antisemitic mass shooting."
Executive Officer Max Kaiser expressed concern the change was directed at the pro-Palestine movement, despite Minns saying it was not aimed at any single group. "It’s disturbing that the media and politicians are maligning this movement when there exists very real sources of antisemitism on the far-right," Kaiser said.
Jesse McNicoll of Jewish Voices of Inner Sydney called it "outrageous" that community pain was being used to shut down a movement "opposing genocide." He stressed, "The protests had nothing to do with the attacks."
Organisers of the weekly pro-Palestine protests, which largely paused after a mid-October ceasefire, confirmed they had no demonstrations planned.
Political Fallout and Broader Debate on Hate
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, when asked if protests contributed to the attack, stated, "Hatred starts with language, and then moves to action and vilification." He referenced the 9 October 2023 demonstration at the Sydney Opera House, which he called "completely reprehensible."
However, the NSW Council for Civil Liberties strongly opposed the legal changes. President Timothy Roberts argued, "We cannot have a 'summer of calm' and 'togetherness' with a government eroding our democratic freedoms." He warned against conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
The debate occurs amidst heightened tensions. Police allege the Bondi attackers, 24-year-old Naveed Akram and his father Sajid, 50, were "inspired by ISIS." ASIO had investigated Naveed Akram in late 2019 but found no ongoing threat.
Federal antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal linked the violence to earlier events, stating, "This did not come without warning." Conversely, Palestine Action Group spokesperson Josh Lees said inflammatory comments had "turbocharged vitriol" against a movement that opposes both genocide and antisemitism.
