Jewish community stands firm: ‘Gas the Jews’ was chanted at Opera House pro-Palestine rally

“We know what we heard”, Jewish leaders say, despite police finding “no evidence” of “gas” chant at Opera House protest last year. And they say “where’s the Jews” is equally offensive.

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) and Sydney-based Palestine Action Group (PAG) said it’s absurd to suggest ‘Where’s the Jews’ and ‘Gas the Jews’ are just as bad as the other, after Jewish leaders called both phrases ‘equally threatening’.

A months long police review into video and audio clips from the infamous October 9 protest which saw thousands of pro-Palestinian converge on the Sydney Opera House, has concluded “with overwhelming certainty’ that the phrase chanted was ‘where’s the Jews?’.

“The expert has concluded with overwhelming certainty that the phrase chanted during that protest, as recorded on the audio and visual files, was ‘where’s the Jews?’” said NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon.

“There is a compilation video, which has a number of audio and visual files, those audio and visual files have not been doctored, they are simply cuts from a more ‘parent file’.

“When examined, the parent file and the video compilation have the same audio and visual and from that the expert has been able to conclude they are the words that were used.”

Protesters burn an Israeli flag on the forecourt of The Sydney Opera House during the protest. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

However, Jewish leaders say the finding is irrelevant, and that the phrase was offensive regardless of whether the phrase was “gas the Jews”, “where’s the Jews” or “f**k the Jews”.

Former Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Jillian Segal said both phrases were equally threatening.

“You have an angry mob, burning flags and saying ‘where’s the Jews?’. That’s threatening.

“If somebody had said ‘all the Jews are in a nearby synagogue” were they all going to go and attack the Jews?,” said Ms Segal.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said that despite the extensive police investigation, he is confident ‘gas the Jews’ was heard at the protest.

“Multiple independent witnesses have verified and declared that the ‘gas the Jews’ phrase was used. We know what we heard, and the world knows what was said,” he said.

Palestinian Action Group spokesman Josh Lees said it’s absurd to suggest ‘Where’s the Jews’ and ‘Gas the Jews’ are just as bad as the other. Jeremy Piper

Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said the police had received several statements from witnesses stating they heard the phrase “gas the Jews”, but they could not attribute the phrase to any single individual.

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) and Sydney-based Palestine Action Group (PAG) have welcomed the findings, demanding an apology from politicians, media and the Australian Jewish Association.

APAN President Nasser Mashni said the debunked video was used to demonise protesters and clamp down on pro-Palestine protests.

“In the days and weeks after 9 October, we saw MPs at both state and federal levels and media outlets across the country use what has now been confirmed to be a deliberately inaccurate and maliciously subtitled video to sow discord and hate towards Palestinians and our supporters,” Mr Mashni said.

Flares light up the pro-Palestine protest. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“We heard Opposition leader Peter Dutton call for people who chanted ‘Gas the Jews’ – a phrase this investigation has confirmed as false – to be deported.

“We heard our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister condemn protesters based on this video, and the NSW Premier Chris Minns use the video to create a sense of fear in the community, restrict the right to protest and ‘strengthen’ hate speech laws.

“This has all caused very real harm and damage,” he said.

Palestinian Action Group spokesman Josh Lees said it’s absurd to suggest ‘Where’s the Jews’ and ‘Gas the Jews’ are just as bad as the other.

“They are very, very different statements, and it’s absurd for anyone to suggest they’re the same. We acknowledged in a statement the next day after that protests that a tiny number of kids had chanted anti Semitic slogans, which we immediately intervened to stop. And that’s never happened before and it’s never happened since.

Mr Lees said the group condemns all racism towards Jewish people.

“The Palestine Action Group, we’ve made it clear from day one and in fact for over a decade, since we’ve always existed, that ours is a movement to free Palestine.

“It is a movement directed against the State of Israel and its policies and its racism and the current genocide taking place in Gaza. This is never a struggle against Jewish people,” he said.