Queensland moves to ban pro-Palestine slogan ‘from the river to the sea’ under sweeping new hate speech laws | Queensland politics
Queensland could become the first state in Australia to ban the phrase “river to sea” under new hate speech reforms announced by the state government.
Prime Minister David Crisafulli announced the proposed laws on Sunday before they are introduced to parliament on Tuesday, describing them as a direct response to the Bondi terror attack that killed 15 people during Hanukkah celebrations.
The legislation includes a new offense that prohibits the public distribution, publication, display or reading of prohibited expressions where the conduct is intended to threaten, harass or cause offence.
Attorney General Deb Frecklington confirmed that the phrases “Globalize the Intifada” and “from river to sea” will be among the banned phrases.
“These words have no place in Queensland when used to incite hatred, insults and threats,” he said.
A parliamentary inquiry in New South Wales last month recommended banning the phrase “globalise the intifada” when used to incite hatred, harassment, intimidation or violence.
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The phrase, which means uprising or “total shake-up” in Arabic, is used by pro-Palestinian supporters to refer to the uprisings against Israel that began in 1987 and 2000. But many in the Jewish community said it was a call to violence against them.
The NSW inquiry did not recommend a ban on the phrase “river to sea”, which refers to land between the Jordan River on the eastern Israeli border and the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
Critics of the slogan argue that it calls for the elimination of Israel, while some of its supporters, including Palestinian American writer Yousef Munayyer, argue that the slogan supports Palestinians living “as free and equal citizens in their own homeland.”
Frecklington said the statement was “offensive” and designed to incite hatred.
“I don’t even like saying it out loud,” he said.
Anyone who distributes, publishes, displays or reads a prohibited statement faces a maximum prison sentence of two years under the law.
The government will also introduce a new offense punishable by a maximum prison sentence of three years for obstructing or harassing people attending religious services.
The penalty for attacking or threatening a person organizing a religious ceremony will be increased from two to five years, while the penalty for deliberately damaging a place of worship will be increased to seven years, which is the heaviest penalty.
The current ban on displaying certain symbols, such as the swastika, will be expanded to include Nazi emblems, Hamas and Islamic State flags, and the Hezbollah emblem. The maximum penalty for displaying banned symbols will increase to six months to two years’ imprisonment.
Frecklington said the government consulted the Crime and Corruption Commission, Human Rights Commission and Queensland police when drafting the legislation.
Crisafulli said it was a “considered”, “calm” and “detailed” response to the Bondi attack.
“We didn’t react at all,” he said. “As a result, the law that will be introduced to parliament on Tuesday will be the best of its kind in the country.”
Crisafuli, who said his state would not participate in the national gun buyback, said the government would announce “how it will take action against weapons against terrorists and criminals” on Monday afternoon.
The reforms were welcomed by Queensland Jewish Board of Representatives President Jason Steinberg, who said it would make the Jewish community feel safer and help them rebuild the confidence to live their lives openly.
“Over the last two and a half years the Jewish community has endured unprecedented levels of hatred, intimidation and fear, and the reforms send a clear message that antisemitism and hatred have no place in Queensland,” Steinberg said.
“This bill goes beyond words and provides real, practical protections for our community and all people who are targets of hate.”
