Victorian Liberals to ban 'globalise the intifada' chant if elected
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson says the phrase is an incitement to violence against Jewish people. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)
In short:
The Victorian Liberals will ban the phrase "globalise the intifada" if elected in November.
State Liberal leader Jess Wilson says the phrase incites violence against the Jewish community.
Queensland passed laws earlier this year banning the phrase.
Victorian Liberal Leader Jess Wilson is pledging to follow Queensland's lead and outlaw the phrase "globalise the intifada" if her party wins the state election.
Ms Wilson said her party will expand incitement of violence laws to include the phrase, which has been used at pro-Palestine protests in Melbourne.
The meaning of "globalise the intifada" is contested.
The word "intifada" means "shaking off" in Arabic and has been used to refer to two periods of violent Palestinian protest against Israel.
Many in the Jewish community argue use of the term is hateful and a call for violence.
Ms Wilson said the phrase will be banned if her party wins government.
Jess Wilson says the phrase is regularly used by pro-Palestinian protesters in Melbourne. (ABC News: James Oaten)
"When I see these protests on the streets of Melbourne, I see these people yelling 'globalise the intifada', that is inciting violence against our Jewish community," she told 774 ABC Melbourne.
"We need to take the temperature down, and that's exactly why, if we are elected, we will change the law."
Ms Wilson said there was no justification for using the phrase during demonstrations.
"We have families not wanting to come into the CBD on weekends, we have the Jewish community not coming into the CBD on the weekend," she said.
"Enough is enough."
The Queensland Liberal government passed legislation earlier this year to ban the phrases "globalise the intifada" and "from the river to the sea", deeming the phrases antisemitic.
A group of pro-Palestinian protesters mounted a High Court challenge to the laws after more than 20 people were charged under Queensland laws.
Former Australian of the Year, Grace Tame, faced criticism from Jewish leaders, as well as federal MPs and the NSW premier, for leading chants of the phrase at a rally in Sydney in February.
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