‘Not a free pass to break the law’: Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen defends proposed crackdown on protest items, mask ban

Masks, balaclavas, ropes, chains, locks and even glue would all be banned from public demonstrations in one state as part of an astonishing crackdown.

Masks, balaclavas, items like chains and locks and even glue would all be banned in one state’s astonishing crackdown on protests after a slew of “racially-motivated violence” and allegations of intimidation.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced on Tuesday a Bill would be introduced to parliament that would ban protests outside religious buildings in the same way people are excluded from protesting outside abortion clinics.

The suite of changes would also ban masks and balaclavas at protests.

In addition, the state government proposes to ban the flags and symbols of listed terrorist organisations in public and the use of glue, rope, chains and locks that protesters use in their demonstrations.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has announced a crackdown on protest activity and a tightening of vilification laws. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Displaying the flags and symbols of terrorist groups for the purpose of incitement is already banned by commonwealth law, but the proposed Victorian laws would mean a total ban.

Victoria has already outlawed all Nazi symbols.

“We know they (masks) are being used to conceal identity and shield agitators from crowd control measures like capsicum spray,” Ms Allan said on Tuesday.

“Face masks are not a free pass to break the law. There should be no place to hide in this state if you are a racist.”

The proposed laws come in the wake of a synagogue in southeast Melbourne being firebombed earlier this month.

“I will never forget the visit I made last Friday, I will never forget the sight and smell of the blackened synagogue for the rest of my life,” Ms Allan said.

“I will never forget the harrowing stories of those who had escaped from that act of terror … anti-Semitism is a cancer and we must leave no stone unturned to fight the evil of anti-Semitism.”

If the laws pass parliament, police will have the power to remove people’s face coverings. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

White supremacists who gather to protest in Victoria often cover their faces. Mass pro-Palestine demonstrations have been running through the Melbourne CBD since October 7, attended by thousands of people.

Often a small amount of people in attendance will wear a keffiyeh and a face mask or will cover their face with the keffiyeh.

“Some of these reforms are complex because they involve a balance of fundamental rights, but we are committed to consulting with the community and delivering them as soon as possible,” Police Minister Anthony Carbines said.

Australian Jewish Association chief executive, Robert Gregory said the changes should have been made sooner.

“The changes should have been announced over a year ago,” he said.

“It took a terrorist attack that burned down a synagogue for this government to do the right thing and act.”

Mr Gregory believes the proposed changes should help to protect Jewish Australians “as synagogues have been targeted by anti-Jewish mobs and parts of the city have become a no-go zone for Jews”.

The suite of proposed changes by the government will take varying lengths of time to implement.

Some will go to parliament in the coming months, others will be developed via community consultation.

One reform that will go to the wider community is a “social cohesion pledge”.

The Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed by a group of three people in the early hours of December 6. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

Jacinta Allan, and Anthony Albanese in a separate incident, cut short appearances at the Adass Israel Synagogue amid tensions in the crowd after the firebombing. Picture: NewsWire/David Caird

This will mean Victorian organisations need to abide by the pledge to receive a government grant. If such a pledge is broken, the offending and afflicted groups will “set a goal” to meet and discuss the issue.

“There will be some people who would stand at the platform like this and declare that multiculturalism is the problem,” Ms Allan said during the press conference.

“Well, no. In my view, in the view of my government, multiculturalism is the solution.

“I believe that those principles of multiculturalism, of understanding tolerance and celebration will help us to repair those threads of social cohesion that have been frayed and torn in the last year.”