Laws on masks, places of worship being considered to stop protesters spreading hate

Police could be given more powers to stop protesters hiding their identities and to ban demonstrations outside places of worship, as the Victorian government aims to stamp out a “nasty streak” of antisemitism and hate in the state.

The potential changes come just over a week after the terrorist firebombing of the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea.

Masked protesters clash with police during a demonstration against the Land Forces expo in Melbourne in September.Credit: Chris Hopkins

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said on Sunday that the government was specifically considering measures to stop people wearing balaclavas to hide their identities while carrying out hateful behaviour.

“Conflict in the Middle East is not a leave pass for antisemitism at home,” Carbines said.

“People who wear balaclavas and cover their identity when they attend protests are doing so to cause trouble and are doing so to intimidate people, and we won’t stand for it.

“There are many people who attend protests with very good intentions. But there is a nasty streak, a violent and mean streak in some of the protest activity that we’ve seen in our state, that needs to be held to account.”

Any new measures would need to be considered by the Labor cabinet, before changes are made to the proposed anti-vilification laws when parliament returns in February.

Victoria introduced new public order laws in 2017 to allow police to mark any area where it expects a public disorder as a designated area.

On Sunday, Victoria Police announced the Melbourne CBD would be a “designated area” between 11am and 5pm. The designation allows officers to search people and vehicles for weapons, compel people to take off face coverings and order people to leave the CBD if they do not comply with police orders.

Carbines said many traders in Melbourne’s CBD were “worn down” by the constant protest activity in the city, and they wanted the chance for a successful Christmas retail period.

The Free Palestine Melbourne protest has marched from the State Library through the CBD every Sunday for 62 weeks.

A pro-Palestinian protest in Melbourne in October.Credit: AAP

Last weekend, one of the rally’s organisers, Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni, said the protests would end only after the “liberation” of Palestine.

Mashni condemned the December 6 firebombing at the synagogue as antisemitic, and noted there was “no room for hate” in his movement.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines.Credit: Eddie Jim

Carbines said the government was in talks with the NSW government about its approach to curtailing antisemitic behaviour at protests.

After the synagogue firebombing, NSW Premier Chris Minns announced a review into strengthening protections for religious institutions, which could mean protests at places of worship are outlawed.

NSW has a permit system for protests, something which is not in place in Victoria.

Premier Jacinta Allan said in a statement that Victoria’s Jewish population deserved “action that makes a difference” in the face of rising antisemitism.

“We must leave no stone unturned to fight the evil of antisemitism in all its forms, and restore social cohesion in our multicultural state,” she said.

Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson said the government would not allow the “disgusting” antisemitic behaviour to continue.

“What we’ve seen in recent times has been absolutely shameful behaviour,” he said.

“Everyone has the right to feel safe. Everyone has the right to go to a place of worship and do so without being accosted, harassed or molested.”

Opposition Leader John Pesutto criticised the government for a lack of urgency around changing protest laws to reduce incidents of antisemitism.

“For the premier to punt those down the road so that we won’t get them until February next year at the earliest is just not acceptable,” Pesutto said.

The government has already pledged $100,000 to kickstart a donation drive to rebuild the Adass Israel synagogue. A further $1 million will be distributed as Jewish community security infrastructure grants.

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