‘It will soon be criminal’: NSW beefs up hate speech laws to fight anti-Semitism

In the fight against anti-Semitism, the state government will introduce tougher laws, with the Premier saying the climate in NSW was so “extreme” and “dangerous” he needed to act now.

Inciting “racial hatred” will become a crime under a suite of measures toughening NSW hate speech laws to crack down on anti-Semitic hate crimes.

The changes, which will be put to parliament next week, will introduce new penalties for graffiti on places of worship, displaying Nazi symbols near synagogues, and inciting racial hatred – not just inciting violence.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the government will continue to push for tougher hate speech laws, vowing the reforms will not be the last.

Speaking on Thursday morning, Mr Minns said the government was not going to wait any longer for similar laws to be pushed through at the federal level.

“The circumstances that we are confronting in our community are so extreme that it requires changes to the law. In fact, I don’t believe the laws as they’re currently constituted adequately confront this danger and hate speech in our community,” he said.

“It’s never been the policy of the NSW Government to just wait and see what other jurisdictions [do] … What I do know is I can’t wait any longer.”

Mr Minns said the new laws would have a specific focus on anti-Semitism but would broadly apply to all types of religious and racial hatred.

“I want to make it equally clear that the suite of reforms that we’re introducing will apply to everybody … to all people of all faiths,” he said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

As part of the reform package, displaying a Nazi symbol near a synagogue will become a new offence with a maximum penalty of two years’ jail time.

Inciting racial hatred will also be punishable by up to two years in prison.

There will also be new laws to stop protests outside places of worship.

The legislation was first flagged by Premier Chris Minns after a spate of worsening anti-Semitic attacks, including when the former home of Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin was attacked.

The Dover Heights home was covered in red paint and a car was set alight in January

That came after an attack on the a synagogue in Newtown, in Sydney’s inner west.

Two men have been charged over the alleged attempt to set the synagogue alight.

In addition to the new laws, the Minns government will also boost funding for the NSW Police Engagement and Hate Crime unit by $525,000.

A social cohesion grants program will get $500,000 extra in funding, and local governments will get new training to address the “rising prevalence of hate crimes”.

Mr Minns said the laws were necessary to stop “disgusting acts of racial hatred and anti-Semitism”.

Premier Chris Minns. Picture Thomas Lisson

“These are strong new laws, and they need to be because these attacks have to stop.

“These laws have been drafted in response to the horrifying anti-Semitic violence in our community but it’s important to note that they will apply to anyone, preying on any person, of any religion,” he said.

Attorney-General Michael Daley said the laws would help NSW Police prosecute hate speech.

“The Minns government is expanding the criminal law to send a clear message that inciting hatred is not just unacceptable it will soon be criminal,” he said.

Last week, NSW Police doubled the size of Strikeforce Pearl, investigating anti-Semitic attacks.

Patrols around significant sites including synagogues have also been boosted.

Originally published as ‘It will soon be criminal’: NSW beefs up hate speech laws to fight anti-Semitism