Protester insists violent attacks not antisemitic as speaker predicts Israel’s demise

A speaker at the latest of Melbourne’s regular pro-Palestine rallies has insisted recent violent attacks at businesses with links to Israel were not antisemitic, as controversial chants were again led at Sunday’s event.

Speakers at Sunday’s march, attended by hundreds in the CBD, also criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who last week released a report from his antisemitism envoy, and Premier Jacinta Allan, who announced a taskforce after last weekend’s attacks, which included the firebombing of a synagogue.

A protester holds a “Death 2 the IOF [Israeli occupation force]” sign.Credit: Penny Stephens

The protests have been held almost every weekend since Hamas’ terror attack on Israel, which killed about 1300 people, and throughout Israel’s devastating retaliation that has killed almost 60,000 people in Gaza as well as fuelled wider regional conflicts.

Rally speaker Nour Salman said the media, including The Age, had misrepresented last weekend’s incidents at Lovitt Technologies in Greensborough, where cars were torched, and Miznon restaurant, which was violently trashed, as antisemitic.

“The action at Lovitt Technologies was a legitimate target, because they provide military parts to F35 aircraft that are bombing civilians in Gaza right now,” Salman said.

She said the attack on Miznon in the CBD was also not an act of antisemitism, because of part-owner Shahar Segal’s former role as a spokesman for the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been widely criticised over its role in the deaths of civilians trying to access food in the enclave.

Nour Salman speaks at Sunday’s rally.Credit: Penny Stephens

“The Miznon restaurant [incident] was not antisemitic, because the mother----er that runs that place has direct ties to the GHF that is killing starving civilians,” she said.

Salman did not say whether she believed the tactics in the two business attacks were justified but condemned the East Melbourne synagogue attack, saying the protesters would never target a place of worship.

“Because we know what justice and religious freedom is about – Zionists don’t,” she said.

“Hope you got that loud and clear,” she finished, referring to the media.

It is not suggested the synagogue incident was linked to the attacks on the businesses.

The assaults prompted some Jewish leaders to voice wider concerns about antisemitism.

Speakers at Sunday’s rally, attended by a crowd of about 500, led chants of “Death, death to the IDF”, “From the river to the sea” and “Long live the intifada”.

Several Jewish leaders have condemned the “Death to the IDF” chant in recent days amid a broader debate about tightening the rules on public protest.

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said it was “perfectly legitimate” to criticise Israel’s government and its military while the war against Hamas continued – and that Israelis were doing this – but “false accusations” of genocide and calling for deaths went too far.

“If these protests were truly about simply concerns for civilian suffering in Gaza, it’s fair to say they wouldn’t be calling for more death,” he said.

Ihab al-Azhari, a Palestinian man, told the crowd non-violence was always expected of protesters, but violence was tolerated when perpetrated by Israel, for example attacks on hospitals and the use of starvation.

“We continue to resist; it doesn’t matter what’s happened. One day will come very soon, when Israel doesn’t exist at all,” he said.

Activist Sarah Baarini said Albanese used to “stand at protests just like these and call for justice and liberation for the Palestinian people”, but since coming to power he had done nothing for the cause.

She also criticised Albanese for taking advice from antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal after it emerged her husband’s business had donated $50,000 to right-wing group Advance Australia, which had been “pumping out anti-Palestinian hate”.

The protest emcee, named as Hajar on protest promotion material, decried Allan’s taskforce and described the premier as “despicable”.

Pro-Palestine protesters outside the State Library on Sunday.Credit: Penny Stephens

Speakers also mentioned there were Jewish Melburnians in attendance at Sunday’s protest.

An organiser said a convoy of protesters would head to Canberra next week to express their concerns at the doorstep of the federal government. They also have plans to march on Israel’s embassy there on July 22.

The protesters later marched to Collins Street and demonstrated outside the front of the Melbourne headquarters of the Future Fund.

Police said there were no arrests or significant issues at Sunday’s protest.

A large Palestinian flag was flown at half-mast, from the GPO building, which houses an H&M store.

A source not authorised to speak publicly said those who installed the flag probably scaled the building to access the tower and then broke into the building to access the flagpole.

The GPO said in a statement that the matter was referred to police and so it would not comment further.

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