Australian state plans tougher laws against displaying extremist flags after Bondi shooting
SYDNEY (AP) — The Australian state of New South Wales is proposing to ban public displays of Islamic State group flags or extremist symbols after a mass shooting driven by antisemitism killed 15 people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Under draft laws to be debated by the state Parliament, publicly displaying the IS flag or symbols from other extremist groups will be offenses punishable by up to two years in prison and fines.
The state’s premier, Chris Minns, also said chants of “globalize the intifada” will be banned and police would be given greater powers to demand protesters remove face coverings at demonstrations.
“Hate speech or incitement of hatred has no place in our society,” Minns said Saturday.
The Arabic word intifada is generally translated as “uprising.”
While pro-Palestinian demonstrators say the slogan describes the worldwide protests against the war in Gaza, Jewish leaders say it inflames tensions and encourages attacks on Jews.
“Horrific, recent events have shown that the chant ‘globalize the intifada’ is hate speech and encourages violence in our community,” Minns told reporters. “You’re running a very risky racket if you’re thinking of using that phrase.”
New South Wales politicians are expected to debate the reforms on Monday after the premier recalled parliament.
Police said Sunday’s attack, targeting a Hanukkah celebration on Australia’s most famous beach, was “a terrorist attack inspired by (the) Islamic State ” group. Police said they found two homemade IS flags in the vehicle used by the two suspects.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to introduce measures to curb radicalization and hate, including broadening the definition of hate speech offenses for preachers and leaders who promote violence, and toughening punishments for such crimes. The proposals would also designate some groups as hateful, and allow judges to consider hate as an aggravating factor in cases of online threats and harassment.
Albanese has also announced plans to tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws.
The attack has raised questions about whether Australian Jews are sufficiently protected from rising antisemitism.
Australia has 28 million people, including about 117,000 who are Jewish. Antisemitic incidents, including assaults, vandalism, threats and intimidation, surged more than threefold in the country during the year after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel launched a war on Hamas in Gaza in response, the government’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal reported in July.
