Chris Minns urges against major protest activity in Sydney and reiterates important of law reform
NSW Premier Chris Minns has urged Sydneysiders to reconsider major protests following the Bondi terror attack.
The Prime Minister announced plans on Saturday to tackle anti-Semitism by stepping up law reform to prevent hateful attitudes from turning from words into acts of violence.
Speaking to the ABC on Sunday, Mr Minns defended plans to recall the NSW Parliament for new hate speech laws as well as greater powers to allow police officers to remove face masks mid-protest.
Addressing criticism, he said anti-Semitism begins with words and “slogans” but snowballs into much more sinister action.
“I believe that in many cases, when you see violent images, hateful slogans, and hateful slogans and chants on the steps of the Opera House, in our parks, or in our community, it unleashes forces that the organizers of the protests cannot control,” Mr. Minns said.
“Whatever the reasons for these protests and whatever genuine grievances or concerns there may be about what is happening abroad, my responsibilities in Sydney today and unfortunately we have to do everything we can to ensure we have a quiet summer and bring the community together.
“I don’t think that can happen if we have massive, massive protests in the heart of the city, which, in my view, will rip and tear the scar tissue that heals in just seven days.”
The Prime Minister also appeared on Channel 9 and said the Bondi terror attack was proportionate to the October 7 attack on the Jewish community in NSW.
“This will not go away after Parliament reopens and meets for a year; it will not go away after Christmas. This needs to be a sustained and sustained effort to combat anti-Semitism, racism, radical ideologies and terrorism, so we can do everything possible to ensure this does not happen again,” Mr Minns said.
It comes after Mr Minns called for a Royal Commission on Saturday.
“We need a Royal Commission now,” Mr Minns said.
“We have some pieces of the puzzle, but we don’t have the whole picture.”
He said the authority of arriving police to remove face masks was necessary.
“The law will give police greater powers to request that a person suspected of committing an offense remove face masks during a public gathering,” he said.
“Currently, deportation may only be necessary if the person is believed to have (committed a crime) or if the person is in the midst of an indictable crime.”
