Should protests be banned outside places of worship?

Published Dec 17, 2024, 11:15 PM

Graeme Goodings talks to Jewish community leader Norman Schueler on whether protests should be banned outside places of worship in South Australia. 

Well. The Victorian government is moving to crack down on protests, including the introduction of protest free zones around places of worship. That follows a series of anti Semitic incidents across the state. Now, while protests in south of Stradia have been far less volatile, the state government is going to consider banning protests that places of worship as part in our state. Joining me in hour is Norman Schuler, the Jewish community leader. Norman, good morning, thanks for your time today.

Good morning Graham, and then morning to fellow five double A listeners.

Now tell me, firstly, do you think that the move in Victoria has warranted that they introduced protests free zones.

It's well over due when we see that people have been going on a Friday night to short to worship and haven't been able to get in or have been scared to be in there. When you're looking in Sydney at the Great Synagogue, and how they couldn't leave because the protesters like they were in prison in the synagogue. It's way, way, way beyond you. But there are various other laws. We must have been afraid to implement those laws. For instance, on the on October the ninth, in Sydney as last year, after October the tenth, the Palestinians, by weight of their numbers took over the space where the Jewish community were and there were no charges. The only person who got arrested was somebody and with a Israeli flagg. So we've got to put that into perspective. Yes, the south of the Strong government has been terrific actually in implementing laws, or Frank is suggesting here about worship laws. Just recent they a swastika appeared in Glenside and it appeared in the next day in the advertiser, and a couple of days later they got just before the break in the end of June for the holiday, the government put through legislation or enacted legislation that they had already debated about Nazi symbols and offensive symbols, and I do know that Frank is wanting to strengthen that. And then earlier on in the year there was for Holocaust Day. The motion was introduced by David Spears at the time a commemoration for that. That is all appreciated, but we must also implement it. But the crime shames. All this has been brought on by one thing and that is October the seventh, and we must put a bit of perspective on why is this all happening? On October the seventh was an unprovoked attack like we've never seen in the world before, since the since the nineteen thirties in Germany, where hostages were taken, people were tortured. I wouldn't like to describe on air some of the torture that took place. So we have an act that took place that people seem to no longer think important. What we want, what is only fair and reasonable, is that the hostages are returned, and people seem to forget that. Peace will flow from that. The whole Middle East will change once we have a little bit of law and order. We do not have law and order until the hostages have been returned.

So you welcome getting back closer to home protests free zones in South of the Stradia. Although the protests in South of Stratia have been very moderate and controlled.

Yes, yes, we have had no protests outside our housets of worship and they've been reasonably orderly. I was speaking at one on the steps of Parliament House and they never again. Is now movement joined with US and the others over shouted us the whole time, and that there wasn't reasonable separation between US and the UH and our naysayers. And but there has been a degree of respect certainly.

And you don't have any concern about people having the right to protest whatever their cause.

No, no, no, that's in Australia. We are democracy and you do of course bring to bring to life the government. Current federal government is really supporting autocracies and theocracies rather than the only democratic state. It is voting against Israel at the United Nations when it was Australia that was one of those who were responsible for founding Israel and giving it a legal status at the United Nations. So the fact that we've broken ties with Israel a very close working partner, and certainly there's been a lot of intelligence been shared between Israel and Australia. And on the other hand, we are we are straining our ties with the United States.

Norman Schulda, thanks so much for your time today. Norman Suelda, Jewish community leader

Mornings with Graeme Goodings

Graeme Goodings hosts mornings on FIVEAA, 9am-12pm weekdays. Graeme delivers Adelaide’s most compreh 
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