ECAJ lodges complaints with the Australian Human Rights Commission against hate preachers
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has formally lodged complaints with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) against two Islamic preachers in western Sydney over speeches that were made late last year, recordings of which were uploaded online.
The complaints allege that the speeches included derogatory generalisations about Jewish people, such as descriptions of them as “monsters”, “criminals”, “bloodthirsty”, raised on “terrorism, violence, and killing”, a “vile people”, and a “treacherous people”, and claims that “their hands are in everywhere in businesses…in the media”.
Peter Wertheim
ECAJ co-CEO Peter Wertheim and ECAJ deputy president Robert Goot SC lodged the complaints under the provisions of Part IIA of the Racial Discrimination Act which prohibit offensive behaviour based on racial hatred.
The complaints are against:
(a) Wissam Haddad and Al Madina Dawah Centre Incorporated; and (b) Sheikh Ahmed Zoud and Awqaf Australia Benevolent Fund Limited.
The ECAJ is seeking, among other things, that the speeches be removed from the Internet with a public apology and that the respondents provide binding commitments that similar conduct will not occur in the future.
Robert Goot
ECAJ co-CEO Peter Wertheim, who is one of the complainants, said: “We are taking this action not only to defend the honour of our community but also to protect the future of Australia as a peaceful and socially cohesive society. Our country has provided a wonderful home to people of many different faiths and ethnic backgrounds. For the most part, we all live together in harmony with mutual respect, where everyone is free to observe their faith and their traditions. One of the rules of Australian multicultural society is that we do not bring the hatreds, prejudices and bigotry of overseas conflicts and societies into Australia. It is truly regrettable that governments and law enforcement agencies have failed to show proper leadership to enforce this rule and that it has fallen to our community to stand up to the hate-mongers in our midst. We will do this regardless of the human and financial cost. The issue is simply too important for Australia’s future.”
A spokesperson for the ECAJ said that the ECAJ hasn’t ruled out the possibility of further legal action against other western Sydney hate preachers.
Good on ECAJ for doing this. It is lamentable that no governmental organization has taken action so far.
Imagine the outcry if some rabbis made equivalent comments against Muslims.
Roger Mendelson