A spokesperson for the Palestine Action Group accused the government of rushing the laws ‘based on lies and deception’ [GETTY]
A pro-Palestine group based in Sydney is taking the New South Wales government to court over new laws that will restrict pro-Palestine protests.
The Palestine Action Group (PAG) filed a constitutional challenge in the Supreme Court of New South Wales (NSW) on Monday over what it describes as “draconian anti-protest laws”.
The laws, according to The Guardian, are purportedly aimed at curbing antisemitism, giving police more power to restrict protests near places of worship.
“The challenge will focus on the expanded powers given to police to issue move-on orders for protests near places of worship, which civil liberties and activist organisations say could lead to protests being banned throughout most of Sydney and other cities, and are unconstitutional,” the Palestine Action Group wrote on Instagram.
The group said NSW Premier Chris Minns rushed a draft of anti-protest laws through the parliament after a caravan bomb hoax and other attacks sparked fears of a rise in antisemitism.
A caravan containing explosives and a list of Jewish targets found outside Sydney in January, being labelled as “terrorism” by Minns, was found to have been a “con job” by organised crime to distract police and influence prosecutions.
Attacks, including antisemitic graffiti at a Jewish school and the former home of a Jewish figure, were also found to be a part of the same conspiracy.
The laws were hastily passed following the attacks.
The PAG says despite police believing the attack to be a “fabricated terrorist plot” and “despite the Government receiving daily briefings from the police”, the premier “continued to dishonestly stoke fear of terrorism and a supposed tide of antisemitism” to rush the laws through parliament in February.
Many members of the crossbench accused Minns and police minister Yasmin Catley of “misleading the public and parliament”. The Guardian says the two refuse to say when they knew the caravan plot was a ruse and whether it was before the bills were rushed.
The PAG has also accused the premier of having “one-sided support for Israel and his Government’s opposition to protests in solidarity with the Palestinian people”.
The laws, passed by the government in February, are reportedly meant to curb antisemitism, with the most controversial being to restrict protests near places of worship – which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
The PAG is challenging the law that enables the police to move in on protesters “in or near” places of worship regardless of what the protest is about and whether it is directed at the institution. If someone blocks access “in or near” a place of prayer, the police can order them to move on.
How “near” a person is to the place of worship is at the discretion of the police.
“The laws threaten the rights not just of Palestine protesters, but of everyone, which is reflected in the very broad opposition that is mounting to these laws from a large range of civil society, activist and trade union organisations,” the PAG said.
