October 2, 2024
Police urged to 'intervene' The Coalition has urged states to deny protest permits to the groups behind rallies at which some people had waved Hezbollah flags and yelled abuse directed at Jewish people.
Liberal senator and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma has written to the Victorian and NSW police ministers urging them to consider refusing protest requests due to the "irresponsible and threatening behaviour" at Sunday's demonstrations in Melbourne and Sydney.
Mr Sharma also asked that police be instructed to "intervene during the course of future protests if prohibited symbols are displayed again".
In the year since the October 7 terror attacks, "radical elements" had been allowed to "dominate our streets and public environment, in a way that has made Australia's Jewish community feel deeply unsafe".
"I heard chants and remarks of violence and abuse directed at 'Jews' and at 'Zionists'," Senator Sharma wrote to Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines. "A number of spectators who attracted the ire of the protesters were abused, threatened and intimidated."
He asked the ministers to ensure protesters in breach of hate laws regarding displays of prohibited terrorist group symbols were held to account.
Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday there was "no place" for mourning a terrorist leader in Australia.
"We are very concerned about some of the terrorist symbols," the Prime Minister said.
"It's completely unacceptable ... Any use of terrorist symbols will be investigated by the security agencies."
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said it should be illegal to display a terrorist symbol, and if laws were "inadequate" then the AFP Commissioner should advise the minister and "the parliament should deal with it as a matter of urgency".
"We would support the government in any changes that are required to stop the glorification of a terrorist organisation," he said.
Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said Australia had a "homegrown extremism problem", citing recent memorials and protesters extolling slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
"What we need to do to deal with that homegrown problem is the enforcement of the law," he told Sky News. "And until that happens, we can't be sure that it'll be stopped."
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said protesters on visas who concerned police would be referred to him, but he could not "prejudge" whether carrying a Hezbollah flag was grounds for cancellation.
"I've got very strong views against hate speech and hate symbols," he told ABC.
"I don't want the anger and hatred from around the world being imported into Australia, and so, as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter which side of a conflict you're on, if you're involved in inciting discord and hatred in Australia then I want to have a look, and I asked the department to prepare a brief for me so I can consider whether the visa should be cancelled."
