NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns’ protest call after Melbourne synagogue attack

Chris Minns may introduce laws to protect places of worship from protesters, after the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue and another synagogue in Sydney attracting a demonstration.

Premier Chris Minns, centre left, arrives at the Central Synagogue in Bondi, Sydney, on Friday. Picture: Jonathan Ng

NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns could soon bring in laws that would protect places of worship from being targeted by protesters, days after a firebombing attack at the Addas Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.

The move also follows a pro-Palestine protest on Wednesday where about 70 activists demonstrated outside Sydney’s The Great Synagogue, leaving a group of Australian Jews locked inside.

Although the proposal is in its early stages, Mr Minns – who has been applauded by NSW’s Jewish community for his government’s strong stance against anti-Semitism – said he had asked state Attorney-General Michael Daley to explore law reform.

“I am horrified by the attack at the Addas Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, and the recent sight of protests out the front of a (Sydney) religious institution,” the Premier said.

“I’ve asked the Attorney-General and the cabinet office to look at ways we can better protect places of worship from protests and provide reform options to the government.”

Possible reform being explored would be laws regulating protests outside religious institutions and places of worship, which aim to intimidate or prevent religious people from practising their faith.

A firebomb attack tour through the Adass Israel Synagogue on Friday in Ripponlea, Melbourne.

It follows an uptick since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 of religious centres and places of worship being targeted – whether by protests or graffiti, or Friday’s firebombing – and an anti-Israel vandalism attack in Woollahra in November.

Mr Minns said that “holding the line” was no longer enough and that the government sought to “go further” to ensure freedom of religion and worship was “protected”.

“Being heckled on the way in to observe your faith is not consistent with the principles of a multicultural, multifaith community where all are protected by law from someone stopping them from prayer,” he said.

“It is the bedrock of our multicultural state. People have the right to feel safe in their own city, in their own churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship.”

On Friday, Mr Minns attended Bondi’s Central Synagogue, telling its community that he was “heartbroken” by the firebombing attack in Melbourne and that NSW stood with Australian Jews who were “under a dark cloud”.

Wednesday’s event at The Great Synagogue was to mark 100 years of Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, the oldest university in that country. Protesters called for sanctions on Israel and NSW Police arrested a seperate man for allegedly breaching the peace.

Reacting to possible reform, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said it would help address the “divisive and dangerous conduct” targeting places of worship since this past year.

“Places of worship are sacred – they should be places of safety, refuge and comfort and they deserve to be protected,” he said.

“Last week, attendees at The Great Synagogue were forced into lockdown and implored to hide all visible evidence of being Jewish just to exit the venue safely. This strikes at the heart of societal cohesion and has no place in the multicultural and multi-faith state that we all love.

“No matter what faith one practises, they should be able to do so free of harassment, intimidation and physical threat.”

The NSW parliament is on winter recess so any legislative change would not be until the new year.

The government could enact laws that give police stronger powers to block or move on protests targeting places of worship, or could look at ways to make the targeting of those places an aggravating factor.