Chaotic scenes as pro-Palestine activists clash with police in Melbourne
Jacinta Allan said the Israel-Hamas war was a ‘federal’ problem, as protesters clashed with Victoria police and Labor’s state conference was dominated by attacks on Israel.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the Israel-Hamas war was a “federal” problem, as protesters with heads wrapped completely in Palestinian scarves clashed with police outside state parliament, and Labor’s state conference was dominated by attacks on Israel.
Hundreds of police were forced to spend Sunday afternoon keeping the peace outside parliament, after a group of violent pro-Palestine protesters, yelling “intifada” and “from the river to the sea” rallied in opposition to a demonstration against anti-Semitism.
The chaos unfolded on Spring Street little more than 24 hours after pro-Palestine protesters had stormed the Victorian Labor Party conference, and the party had passed six anti-Israel motions. While Ms Allan said she was “disgusted” by protesters who “brought violence, homophobia and anti-Semitism to the front door of state conference” on Saturday – preventing some state ministers from entering and yelling a homophobic slur at one – she downplayed non-binding motions championed by her Socialist Left faction as a matter for the federal government.
“Foreign policy should be left to the federal government because Australia must speak in one voice on the world stage,” Ms Allan said. “My priority as the state’s Premier is maintaining a cohesive society where all Victorians are safe and respected.”
A spokeswoman for Anthony Albanese said motions at state Labor conferences were “a matter for the party”.
“The government position is very clear and longstanding,” she said.
The issue of Gaza did not feature at what was a much quieter conference on Sunday, although several dozen party members, including delegates who addressed the conference on other issues, chose to wear keffiyeh scarves in support of Palestine.
Riot police are concentrated on preventing Pro-Palestine protesters, some of whom have covered all but their eyes with keffiyehs, from leaving their designated protest area. pic.twitter.com/y0G8BZ4Xl9
— Rachel Baxendale (@rachelbaxendale) May 19, 2024
One motion demanded that the Albanese government support the “inalienable right of self-determination for the Palestinian people”; another called for the end to Israel’s “perpetual military occupation and human rights violations” in Gaza.
On social media, pro-Palestine protesters circulated a poster featuring a jackboot crushing a Star of David to promote their counter-rally ahead the of the “Never Again is Now” rally against anti-Semitism on Sunday afternoon.
As thousands of members of the Jewish community and their supporters, including the Christian founders of the “Never Again is Now” movement, politicians and religious leaders gathered for their rally, pro-Palestine protesters, some of whom covered all but their eyes with keffiyehs, congregated on the other side of a large police cordon, which included public order response and mounted brigades.
At one stage, the pro-Palestine protesters blocked off the northern-most entrance to the parliament train station, preventing members of the public trying to attend the rally against anti-Semitism from exiting the station and accusing them of “supporting genocide”
One 84-year-old Jewish woman — who declined to be named out of fear for her safety — was separated from her group and repeatedly poked and called a “Zionist pig” by protesters whose faces were covered.
For hours, pro-Palestine protesters banged drums and yelled “intifada” and “from the river to the sea”.
At the other end of the street, supporters of the “Never Again is Now” rally waved Australian and Israeli flags, held green and gold umbrellas and placards with slogans including “Stop hate, mate” and “anti-Semitism is unAustralian”, and danced and sang to anthems such as Aretha Franklin’s Say a Little Prayer and John Farnham’s You’re the Voice, as well as traditional Jewish music and a performance by Jewish singer-songwriter Deborah Conway.
A long list of politicians and community members addressed the crowd, including Liberal senators James Paterson and Sarah Henderson, state Liberal frontbencher David Southwick, former state Labor minister Phil Dalidakis, and Indigenous leader and former Liberal candidate Warren Mundine.
Ms Conway, Rabbinical Council of Victoria president Moshe Kahn and “Never Again is Now” founder Mark Leach – senior minister at the Darling Street Anglican Church in Sydney’s inner-west Rozelle – also spoke; recorded messages were played from Peter Dutton and former deputy prime minister John Anderson.
Former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu was also present.
Senator Paterson said he felt compelled to address the “elephant in the room”, namely the pro-Palestine protesters.
“Just over there are people counter-protesting this rally, counter-protesting a rally against anti-Semitism,” he said.
“And the material they used to promote their protest is frightening: blood-stained writing, a jackboot stomping on the Star of David.
“For the last six months they’ve had this city to themselves, but on the one weekend the Jewish community and their friends show up, they are here to try to intimidate us.
“But this city belongs to all of us. We are not afraid. We will not be bullied. And the good news is they are an isolated fringe. They don’t speak for Australia.
“In fact just this week the Senate voted on an overwhelming bipartisan basis to condemn their hateful rhetoric and slogans.
“The vast majority of Australians reject these extremists. Everyone here today stands proudly with the Jewish community and against their hate. And we will stand with you for as long as it takes to defeat it.”
The federal Opposition Leader said he had been shocked and appalled by the “magnitude and intensity of the anti-Semitism which has emerged in Australia since a seething mob chanted slogans of slaughter on the steps of the Sydney Opera House on 9 October … In the battle against anti-Semitism in Australia, I say to Australians of Jewish faith, you are not alone. The fight will not be yours alone,” he said. “The Coalition I lead will continue to call out and condemn anti-Semitism.”
Mr Dalidakis — the only prominent Labor identity to attend the rally — said one of the “most pernicious” ways anti-Semitism was being cloaked was through the “weaponisation” of the term “Zionism”.
“Zionism at its heart is simply the affirmation (of) the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and the existence of the state of Israel,” Mr Dalidakis said.
“Criticism of Israel, like criticism of any country, is valid and necessary in a democratic society. However, when such criticism crosses the line into denying Israel’s right to exist, or holding it to an impossible standard not applied to other nations, it becomes a mask for anti-Semitism.”
More Coverage
Immigration detention duty: minister Burke powers up
Immigration Minister Tony Burke has quietly issued new rules granting himself the power to impose electronic monitoring and curfews on dangerous non-citizens released from detention.
$42k taxpayer grant for anti-Israel artist
Matt Chun received a $42,452 taxpayer grant in May 2023 to publish a picture book. He previously co-wrote works that attacked ‘colonial and imperialist’ statues.