Former National Gallery of Victoria head Steve Vizard slams gallery protest, urges Allan-government to act

Former National Gallery of Victoria head Steve Vizard says “rampant racism” is behind the targeting of the gallery by pro-Palestine protesters, urging the Allan-government to act on a “growing culture of lawlessness”.

Former head of the National Gallery of Victoria Steve Vizard has urged the Allan government to crack down on a “growing culture of lawlessness” after anti-Israel protesters targeted Jewish philanthropists and sent the state’s premier arts institution into lockdown.

Mr Vizard, the former president of the NGV and a Monash University professor, said it was “outrageous” that activists had sent the state’s premier cultural institution into lockdown because it received support from well-known Jewish philanthropists John and Pauline Gandel.

“That a handful of protesters are permitted to shut down a major public gallery and slander some of Melbourne’s most esteemed families – families who have contributed to the cultural life of this city and nation for generations – by engaging in rampant racism, anti-Semitism, is outrageous,” he said.

“And increasingly dangerous.

“The government could stop this growing culture of lawlessness in a heartbeat if they wanted … they appear to choose not to.”

Steve Vizard said the NGV protest was outrageous and dangerous. Picture: David Caird

Melbourne’s CBD erupted into chaos again on Sunday as about 1000 protesters, some chanting “Death to the IDF” and “socialism now”, rallied outside the NGV, blocking the path of families with little kids.

As Victoria’s multicultural minister Ingrid Stitt defended the Melbourne protest on Monday, NSW Premier Chris Minns rejected a pro-Palestine march across Sydney’s harbour bridge under the state’s protest permit system.

Pro-Palestine protesters target the gallery over its links to Jewish philanthropists John and Pauline Gandel. Picture: Valeriu Campan

On Tuesday, Ms Allan slammed the “extremists” who rallied outside the NGV, calling the behaviour “shameful” and “anti-Semitic”.

She said the targeting of the Gandels and the NGV had “frankly very little to do with the conflict in the Middle East” and was more about “driving division” on the streets of Melbourne.

“It is a small number of extremists and Victorians condemn their behaviour - I condemn it,” she said.

Pressed over whether the police should have moved on extremists causing havoc, Ms Allan said they had the powers to do so.

“Police have the powers to move people on if they are posing a risk to the community,” she said.

But Ms Allan could not commit to blocking future rallies outside iconic Melbourne venues.

Victorian activists had targeted the NGV following a gala dinner at which a hall was renamed in honour the Gandels.

Activists labelled the couple “genocidal Zionists” and “long-time associates” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning they would “keep disrupting until NGV drops the Gandels”.

The protest forced the gallery into lockdown. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Mr Vizard said he was “all for free speech and protest and debate” but never at the cost of the “freedoms of most law abiding Melburnians”.

“These protesters do their own causes no good by attacking good citizens on the basis of race or religion,” he said.

“We put a government in charge to foster harmony, to protect us.

“They’re good at protecting the protesters. How about the rest of us?”

Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the “anti-Semitic” targeting of the Jewish donors at the protest.

“Philanthropy is the lifeblood of the arts, and the Gandels are among Victoria’s most prolific givers and supporters,” she said.

“Targeting Jewish philanthropy is not activism, it’s anti-Semitism.”

It came as NSW Premier Chris Minns on Monday said he would not support the shutdown of the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a major pro-Palestine protest this weekend.

Unlike in Victoria where protesters do not have to warn authorities, protest organisers in NSW must apply for a protest permit or risk their attendees being arrested under anti-protest laws.

Mr Minns said unplanned disruptions on one of the city’s most critical pieces of infrastructure risked “significant inconvenience” and “public safety”.

The Allan government has repeatedly refused to introduce a permit system, while the state’s opposition has pledged to introduce a similar system to NSW.

Victoria’s multicultural minister Ingrid Stitt defended the protest. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

New Victorian chief commissioner Mike Bush, who has rejected the idea of a permit system, said he had watched the “peaceful” rally from the “start to the finish”.

“It was peaceful as I walked through Swanston St, it was loud, there were a lot of people there, they were entitled to do that,” he said.

“Yes there was an inconvenience (at the NGV) to the public … in front of the gallery, I’m proud of how they (police) did that to prevent any disturbance, or harm or violence.”

Opposition police spokesman David Southwick, however, said police must be given stronger move-on powers.

“When they target galleries … when they target synagogues that is one step way too far,” he said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin also slammed the protesters as he called for a police crackdown.

“(Sunday’s) disgusting protest targeted two Jewish Australians in their 90s, who have devoted their lives to Holocaust education and philanthropy,” he said.

Multicultural minister Ingrid Stitt had defended the protesters on Monday, saying it was their right.

“In Victoria, people do have the right to protest peacefully and the vast majority of people do protest peacefully,” she said.