An Australian state government on Tuesday unveiled new measures to address the surge in antisemitism, including a prohibition on protests outside religious venues, The Associated Press reported.
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan announced these legislative changes following recent violent incidents, including the arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue and the distressing situation where protesters confined worshippers inside a Sydney synagogue for three hours.
“That’s not peaceful protest. It’s menacing behavior,” Allan stated, according to AP.
“Antisemitism is a cancer and we must leave no stone unturned to fight the evil of antisemitism, to fight the evil of this racism in all of its forms and also to continue to work to help heal our multicultural community, to help build on that social cohesion and continue to support our strong, united Victoria,” she added.
The new laws aim to safeguard the right of individuals to "gather and pray free from fear, harassment and intimidation," according to a statement from her office.
These proposed laws, set to be considered by the state legislature in early 2025, would create safe zones around places of worship and ban disruptions during religious services.
Additionally, the legislation would outlaw the display of flags or symbols associated with groups designated as terrorist organizations by Australia, and prohibit protesters from wearing face masks to hide their identity or protect against pepper spray.
Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission and a prominent voice against antisemitism in Australia, expressed his support for the new measures.
“Today, the Victorian government has declared war on hate and antisemitism — and it’s about time,” Abramovich said in a statement quoted by AP.
“Victoria has drawn a line in the sand and sent a thunderous message to the hate-mongers, the graffiti cowards, the firebombers, and the social media trolls: Your days of terrorizing our communities are over,” he added.
Australia has experienced a surge in antisemitic incidents following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry reported more than 2,000 anti-Jewish incidents between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, compared to approximately 500 incidents during the same period a year earlier.
Days after the arson incident at the Adass Israel Synagogue, a car was set on fire, and two properties were vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti in Woollahra, a suburb of the city of Sydney which has a large Jewish population.
In response to rising antisemitism in Australia, a federal law was enacted in January banning the Nazi salute and public display of Nazi symbols, and special envoys were appointed in 2024 to tackle both antisemitism and Islamophobia.