Weaponising Antisemitism: How a Manufactured Crisis Changed Australian Law
We interviewed legal experts, reviewed police reports and followed the timeline of events — and what we found was staggering. In late 2024, Australia was gripped by what was framed as a terrifying rise in antisemitism. From firebombed childcare centres and vandalised synagogues to explosive-laden caravans and graffiti echoing Nazi slogans — it felt like Jewish Australians were under siege.
This fear was taken seriously. National cabinet was convened, emergency laws were passed and major universities adopted new definitions of antisemitism that included criticisms of Israel and Zionism. Free speech and protest rights were rapidly curtailed, all under the banner of fighting hate.
But there was just one problem: it wasn’t true.
The Antisemitism Hoax
As confirmed by New South Wales Police, the supposed wave of anti-Jewish attacks was orchestrated by an underworld criminal network with no ideological motives. It had nothing to do with antisemitism. Investigations revealed the perpetrators staged the events to mislead police and manipulate government resources. Even the infamous “Gas the Jews” chant was later exposed as doctored, amplified by pro-Israeli influencers.
Yet the laws were still passed — even after politicians were briefed about the hoax. Civil rights groups and legal experts raised concerns, accusing the government of misleading the public to fast-track draconian legislation. Calls for a parliamentary inquiry have so far gone unanswered.
Laws Now Used to Silence Dissent
The aftermath is deeply troubling. We spoke with lawyer Majid Kheir, who is defending a protester charged under the new laws. His client, a pro-Palestinian demonstrator, displayed a poster comparing Israel to Nazi Germany — a political statement, not an endorsement of Nazism. Initially let off, he was later charged with displaying a Nazi symbol.
Rather than acknowledge the intent of the protest, authorities are relying on vague laws that blur the line between hate speech and political expression. Even more concerning, the NSW Attorney-General personally intervened in the case, defending the constitutionality of the rushed legislation — while still leaving his own inflammatory posts on antisemitic attacks untouched.
The Bigger Picture: Power and Politics
At a national level, the situation is no better. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus visited Israel in January 2025 to repair diplomatic ties — while the country stood accused of genocide. He posed with leaders like President Isaac Herzog, who infamously declared all of Gaza collectively responsible, and also met with Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a pro-apartheid hardliner.
Dreyfus has repeatedly argued that criticism of Zionism “absolutely can be” antisemitic. But when antisemitism is redefined to shield a violent regime from accountability, it stops being about protecting Jewish Australians — and starts being about protecting power.
We Won’t Forget
This wasn’t just a policy failure. It was a coordinated effort to silence protest, protect an apartheid state and gaslight a nation. In years to come, we’ll remember who pushed these laws, who stayed silent and who used antisemitism as a weapon to shield genocide.
We won’t forget. And we won’t stop speaking the truth.