Warnings people could die, as hate speech intensifies
A lack of action on antisemitism may result in people being killed, leaders are warning, as community groups criticise authorities for not acting fast enough.
Jillian Segal
Hate speech laws are in the spotlight as fears escalate that people could be killed in antisemitic attacks.
Federal police are confident they’re closing in on those responsible for inciting fear in Jewish communities, but critics say they have acted too slowly.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton laid the blame of rising antisemitism at the feet of Anthony Albanese for setting the “tone” by failing to stand-up to it.
“No wonder these people keep pushing the lines now to the point where we’re seeing cars and properties graffitied and fire bombed, and now the synagogue as well,” he told 2GB radio on Thursday.
“There is going to be somebody killed at some point, or somebody who is going to be very seriously injured if this continues.”
Australia’s special envoy to combat antisemitism Jillian Segal said a lack of accountability had set a “tone of permissiveness”.
There were no serious penalties for people displaying terrorist symbols and committing antisemitic acts, she said.
Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner Krissy Barrett said prosecuting the display of a prohibited terrorist symbol was more than proving someone had waved a flag.
She said federal police had been working on evidence that would reach the burden of proof required for a successful prosecution, following investigations into the waving of flags at a pro-Palestinian rally.
“We have had a lot of back and forth with the (Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions) about the evidence. We are confident we are close on at least three matters,” Ms Barrett told ABC radio.
“I know this can be frustrating for the community but I want to make sure that we have the best chance of a successful prosecution because that will be the strongest deterrent.”
Hate laws needed to be strengthened if they weren’t adequate enough to prosecute under, Ms Segal said.
The special envoy also called for an end to pro-Palestinian demonstrations taking over cities, saying they could be held elsewhere, and said universities needed to do more to make Jewish students feel safer on campus.
Antisemitism at universities is being investigated at parliamentary committee hearings on Thursday, with representatives from a number of major tertiary institutions and departmental officials giving evidence.
Ms Segal previously told the inquiry universities were a “cauldron of anti-Semitism”.
Minister for Youth Anne Aly called for Australians to support the Jewish community that was feeling unsafe as they did when Muslims were fearful in the wake of the Christchurch attack.
“When it happened to the Muslim community, it hurt us,” she told ABC radio.
“Remember how the community came together after Christchurch, remember that there is strength in community, remember there is strength in reaching out to each other.”
The Australian Human Rights Commission is looking into the impact of racism at universities, with a number of institutions suggesting it was a more appropriate avenue for action given a probe should include all forms of religious intolerance.
Antisemitism, Islamophia, anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism had dramatically increased, Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman.
Racism poured out when there were ruptures in society, he said, adding the way it was tackled was disjointed and ad hoc.
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By: Dominic Giannini, Alex Mitchell and Tess Ikonomou /AAP
