New South Wales may ban anti-Israel protests for up to three months following Bondi massacre

Demonstrators chanting slogans such as “globalise the intifada” have long faced accusations that their words amount to a call for violence against Jews, and there were a series of non-fatal antisemitic arson attacks in the country last year, which security services linked to Iran’s IRGC.

Now, in response to the massacre, New South Wales premier Chris Minns has announced that his government will “move to restrict the authorisation of public assemblies in designated areas following a terrorist incident, to protect the community, prevent intimidation and allow police to focus on keeping people safe”.

Under the new measures, when a terrorist incident is declared, the state’s police commissioner will be able to identify “specific areas where public assemblies are restricted for a limited period”.

"That might be any part of the state or all over the state. No public assemblies in a designated area will be able to be authorised, including by a court,” the announcement added.

Each declaration would require the agreement of the state’s policing minister and could last for up to three months.

Police would also be empowered to “move people on” if they cause “harassment or intimidation” or obstruct the road.

A recent large protest in Sydney, which saw over 200,000 people take to the streets, was specifically referenced by the premier as an example of a gathering the new powers would prevent, despite his own deputy, Penny Sharpe, being among the crowd in August.

"These are obviously extraordinary powers – not seen before in any jurisdiction in the country,” Minns told reporters on Friday.

"When you see people marching and showing violent bloody images, images of death and destruction, it’s unleashing something in our community that the organisers of the protest can’t contain.”

There is no suggestion that Sharpe displayed such images or was aware they were being displayed in the crowd.

"The truth of the matter is, we can’t risk another mass demonstration on that scale in NSW. The implications can be seen, in my view, on Sunday,” added Minns.

Meanwhile, New South Wales Police issued a statement of their own, urging people not to participate in “unauthorised public assemblies”.

The force said they were aware that “people may want to protest due to recent events both here and overseas” but asked state residents to “choose other ways to come together peacefully”.

Per the force’s statement, several such “unauthorised gatherings” are planned around the state over the weekend, which it said had not been approved under the proper legal process and would be met with a “significant policing response”.