SYDNEY – The Australian state of New South Wales is proposing to ban public displays of Islamic State group flags or extremist symbols after a mass shooting that killed 15 people on Sydney's Bondi Beach.
Under draft laws to be debated in the state Parliament, publicly displaying the IS flag or symbols from other extremist groups would be offenses punishable by up to two years in prison and fines.
Premier Chris Minns also said chants of “globalize the intifada” would be banned and police will have greater powers to demand protesters remove face coverings at demonstrations.
“Hate speech or incitement of hatred has no place in our society,” Minns said Saturday.
The Arabic word intifada is generally translated as uprising.
While pro-Palestinian demonstrators say the slogan describes worldwide protests against the war in Gaza, Jewish leaders say it inflames tensions and encourages attacks on Jews.
“Horrific, recent events have shown that the chant ‘globalize the intifada’ is hate speech and encourages violence in our community,” Minns told reporters. “You’re running a very risky racket if you’re thinking of using that phrase.”
New South Wales politicians are expected to debate the reforms Monday after Minns recalled Parliament.
Police said Sunday’s attack, targeting a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s most famous beach, was “a terrorist attack inspired by (the) Islamic State” group. Officers said they found two homemade IS flags in the vehicle used by the two suspects.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to introduce measures to curb radicalization and hate, including broadening the definition of hate speech offenses for preachers and leaders who promote violence, and toughening punishments for such crimes. The proposals would also designate some groups as hateful and let judges weigh hate as an aggravating factor in online threat and harassment cases.
Albanese has also announced plans to tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws.
The prime minister, who joined the Jewish community at Sydney’s Great Synagogue on Friday, said “the spirit of our Jewish Australian community is completely unbreakable.”
“Australia will not allow these evil antisemitic terrorists to divide us,” he told reporters. “No matter how dark things are, light will triumph.”
Authorities said the country will hold a National Day of Reflection on Sunday, the final day of Hanukkah, in honor of the victims. Flags will be flown at half-staff from all official buildings, and Albanese will join others at Bondi to observe a minute of silence at 6:47 p.m., the time when police received the first reports of gunfire.
Police said one of the suspects, Sajid Akram, was shot dead Sunday. His son, Naveed Akram, 24, remains in custody in a New South Wales hospital. He has been charged with 59 offenses, including murder and committing a terrorist act, and police are reviewing the evidence against him.
The attack has raised questions about whether Australian Jews are sufficiently protected from rising antisemitism.
Australia has 28 million people, including about 117,000 who are Jewish. Antisemitic incidents, including assaults, vandalism, threats and intimidation, surged more than threefold after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel launched a war on Hamas in Gaza, the government’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal reported in July.
