There is a noticeable divide among law enforcement, state officials, and advocacy groups regarding the most effective way to bring about necessary changes.
In a bold display, nearly 70 members of the neo-Nazi group, White Australia, staged a protest at the New South Wales parliament yesterday. They unfurled a banner with the inflammatory message, “Abolish the Jewish Lobby.”
Both New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon and Premier Chris Minns admitted they were unaware of the protest before it happened.
“I take this matter very seriously,” Lanyon stated. “There was a breakdown in communication within the police force, which resulted in my not being informed about the protest in advance.”
He further explained that this oversight meant he had not briefed the Minister of Police or government officials.
Premier Minns highlighted the need for new legislation to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
“It’s obviously shameful that these people feel that they have the right to demonstrate in such a despicable, hateful way, spewing division and racism on the streets of Sydney,” Minns said.
Police Minister Yasmin Catley also hinted at the potential to introduce new legislation to stop events like these happening, but this has not been welcomed by everyone.
“You don’t arrest your way to social cohesion, you don’t fight fascism with laws that erode our civil liberties,” Timothy Roberts from the NSW Council of Civil Liberties said.
He said police allowing the protest to go ahead was hypocritical given previous high-profile efforts to block pro-Palestine protests at Sydney monuments such as the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.
“Police seem to be readily able to challenge Palestinian action groups and climate groups, [but] when it came to this particular process, it got a green light,” he said.
Nationals leader David Littleproud described the incident as “disgraceful” and said the rally was a stark reminder of the kind of hatred still being perpetrated in plain sight.
“It is disgraceful. And these sorts of animals shouldn’t be allowed on the streets to chant that sort of hate,” Littleproud said on Today.
“They’re trying to import hate from overseas into this country, and we’re better than that.”
Police are reviewing the footage to determine whether any hate speech crimes were committed.
