Abortion clinic-style protest bans could reduce 'distress and anxiety' at synagogues and Jewish schools, Dreyfus says
News Source
β’Mon, 20 Jul 2026 06:28:03 GMT
π° What Happened
Former attorney general Mark Dreyfus has called for protest bans outside synagogues and Jewish schools. He spoke at the antisemitism royal commission and said the rules should be like those at abortion clinics. A 2019 High Court decision allows safe access zones within 150 metres of abortion clinics.
Dreyfus said similar laws would reduce 'distress and anxiety' for people attending Jewish sites. He told the commission he had been called a 'genocidal Zionist' during antisemitic abuse. He argued the High Court already approved this type of restriction on protests.
π The Backstory
The antisemitism royal commission is investigating rising hatred against Jewish Australians. There has been a spike in antisemitic incidents in recent years, including threats and vandalism at synagogues and schools. Dreyfus is a federal Labor backbencher who served as attorney general.
The 2019 High Court case upheld safe access zone laws in Victoria and Tasmania. Those laws stop protesters from gathering near abortion clinics. Dreyfus says the same legal logic should apply to Jewish community sites that have faced aggressive protests.
π― Why It Matters
This is about balancing the right to protest with the right to feel safe. Rising antisemitism in Australia has made many Jewish families afraid to attend their places of worship and schools.
Former attorney general Mark Dreyfus has called for protest bans outside synagogues and Jewish schools. He spoke at the antisemitism royal commission and said the rules should be like those at abortion clinics. A 2019 High Court decision allows safe access zones within 150 metres of abortion clinics.
Dreyfus said similar laws would reduce 'distress and anxiety' for people attending Jewish sites. He told the commission he had been called a 'genocidal Zionist' during antisemitic abuse. He argued the High Court already approved this type of restriction on protests.
The antisemitism royal commission is investigating rising hatred against Jewish Australians. There has been a spike in antisemitic incidents in recent years, including threats and vandalism at synagogues and schools. Dreyfus is a federal Labor backbencher who served as attorney general.
The 2019 High Court case upheld safe access zone laws in Victoria and Tasmania. Those laws stop protesters from gathering near abortion clinics. Dreyfus says the same legal logic should apply to Jewish community sites that have faced aggressive protests.
This is about balancing the right to protest with the right to feel safe. Rising antisemitism in Australia has made many Jewish families afraid to attend their places of worship and schools.