Published: 17 December 2024
Last updated: 17 December 2024
In the wake of the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue last week, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has announced a suite of measures to fight antisemitism in the state.
The Victorian Government will:
- ban the flags and symbols of listed terrorist organisations in public, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and white nationalist groups
- ban face masks at protests, so protesters cannot conceal their identity or avoid crowd-control measures like capsicum spray
- ban glue, rope, chains, locks and other attachment devices used by protesters to attach themselves to fixtures and disrupt public spaces
- create a new community consultation group Local Escalation And Help group (‘Leah’ for short) to work with Jewish community leaders, councils and security services to respond quickly to threats and issues of concern.
“Antisemitism thrives in extreme and radical environments, and we are giving police more powers to control protest and making it harder for agents of violence and hate to hide," Allan said.
She said Victorians had witnessed extreme, dangerous and radical conduct in numerous public demonstrations over the last year, environments which enabled hate and antisemitism to thrive.
The new measures aim to balance the right to protest against the right of people to live safely – free of danger, discrimination and harassment.
“This isn’t about the Middle East. This is about Victoria. This is about our values and the right of anyone in this state to live, work and pray freely without fear of intimidation, fear and violence,” Allan said.
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