Australia's Hate Speech Laws: More Like 'Hate Palestine' Laws
Shamikh Badra, a Palestinian Australian, was reportedly assaulted and racially abused on a Sydney train, an incident clearly captured on video. Yet, police charged the assailant only with common assault, not hate speech. This selective application of the law isn't an isolated incident; it mirrors a global trend where criticism or violence against Palestinians by those with pro-Israel views often
escapes the 'hate' label. In the US, for example, groups like AIPAC (which funneled $23 million into congressional races in 2022, according to OpenSecrets.org) consistently push legislation that conflates criticism of Israeli government policies with antisemitism, effectively silencing Palestinian voices and their allies. One might wonder if the victim's identity as 'Palestinian Australian'
triggered an implicit bias in the charging decision. It appears that while 'hate speech' against certain groups is unequivocally condemned, speech or actions targeting Palestinians often receive a gentler, more ambiguous framing—a convenient silence for those who benefit from portraying one side as eternally victimized, and the other as eternally deserving of whatever comes their way. How many
times must we see obvious racial animus dismissed before we call out the systemic double standard?