Yahoo News Pro-Palestine protests targeting MPs’ electorate offices ‘have no place in a democracy’, Albanese says
Anthony Albanese and Labor have denounced protests outside their offices as a bad development for democracy, with MPs alleging in some instances they and their staff have been intimidated.
Albanese and three Labor MPs raised concerns in caucus on Tuesday in a sign of growing impatience with the community division over whether the Australian government has done enough to oppose Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
On Tuesday night, the foreign minister, Penny Wong, released a public statement urging the backing of a ceasefire agreement from US president Joe Biden, saying “the human suffering in Gaza is unacceptable” and adding “this war must end”.
Protest actions have included vandalism at Bill Shorten’s office in Moonee Ponds, pro-Palestinian protesters storming Victoria’s Labor conference and a sit-in outside Albanese’s Marrickville electorate office since Israel’s military action responding to the 7 October attacks by Hamas.
Speaking about the targeting of MPs’ electorate offices, Albanese told caucus “these actions to intimidate have no place in a democracy”.
“The idea that constituents would be blocked from getting help on social security and migration is appalling.”
Albanese said the “blockade” of his own office had been supported by “Greens and state Greens”.
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, which has no role in organising the protests, condemned the prime minister’s remarks. The Apan president, Nasser Mashni, said it was “disturbing that more effort is being put into discrediting protesters [and] silencing dissent … than into addressing the root causes of public discontent – Israel’s genocide and Australia’s inconsistent … response to it”.
“The overwhelming majority of Palestine solidarity protests in Australia have been peaceful in both reality and intent,” Mashni said.
“For eight months, citizens have used the traditional channels available to them to press for stronger government action.
“In the face of government inaction … protest becomes not just a right but a duty.”
In caucus Peter Khalil, the chair of parliament’s committee of intelligence and security, and Anne Aly, the early childhood education minister, praised Albanese and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, for calling out the protests this week.
Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters told caucus about lengthy closures of her electorate office, blaming “misinformation” for fuelling extremism on a range of issues, including climate change, not just the war in the Middle East.
Khalil told Guardian Australia that although he supports peaceful protest “violence, intimidation, harassment, hate speech and damage of property crosses the line and needs to be called out”.
“It’s not acceptable that staff members were surrounded by protesters and police had to help them leave,” he said of a recent incident at his office.
Khalil said the Greens’ approach to the conflict had been “morally reprehensible”, accusing them of “whipping up anger and grievance, making things worse” in pursuit of votes.
“By all means, be open in criticism of Israel, and what’s happening in Gaza. I’ve said Israel needs to respect international law and called out the unacceptable loss of civilian life, and called for a durable, sustained ceasefire that we voted for in UN.”
Nathalie Farah, a campaigner at Disrupt Wars who helped organise actions at Khalil’s office, said it was “absolutely false” that staff had been intimidated, telling Guardian Australia that protesters had stood aside at the direction of police as Khalil and staff exited.
Farah said protesters had disrupted the office through noise including music, but the “idea here is not to stop constituents from getting help, it’s to put pressure on the PM”.
“We are the constituents as well, they are not listening to us. It did not have to come to this,” she said.
“People are furious … If the government response is to call them violent criminals and not listen – that’s what fans social divisions.”
Farah, who did not organise actions outside Albanese and Shorten’s offices, nevertheless defended them.
“This is peaceful … Protesters have done nothing wrong.
“Some autonomous activists a couple of nights ago decided to put paint on the windows of the office. At worst this is property damage but it is just paint, it washes off with water.”
On Tuesday the Labor MP for Higgins, Michelle Ananda-Rajah, accused the Greens of causing “social unrest” in the House of Representatives.
Labor MP Kate Thwaites, who plans to speak up about the issue in parliament later on Tuesday, said she had to shut her office on Friday on the advice of the police.
“I am concerned when I have to shut, because it does mean vulnerable people in the community don’t have an opportunity to access an MP’s office.”
Thwaites said she and staff had been “accused of supporting genocide, told we have blood on our hands”. “It is difficult when you and staff are receiving messages like that. The language is very heightened.”
In a Senate committee hearing on Monday, Wong accused the Greens of “participating in protests which have become violent and aggressive”.
The Australian Greens rejected the claim as “not correct”.
In a further response to Albanese, the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said it was a “shameful” attempt to distract from Labor’s “refusal to take any meaningful action to prevent a genocide that has claimed over 34,000 lives”.
“Instead of admitting that his own electorate is disappointed and angry at Labor’s refusal to take action on a genocide, the prime minister is attacking people in the community who are calling for peace,” he said.
Protesters see “the impact of [Israel’s] attacks – children killed by bombs and gunfire, and civilians on the cusp of starvation”, he said.
“The Greens support peaceful protest, we will continue to do so, and we support the protest organisers’ calls for no property damage or breakage.”
In her statement backing a ceasefire, Wong said “civilians must be protected, the catastrophic humanitarian situation must be addressed, and the hostages must be released.”
“Any delay will only see further lives lost.”
She said Australia was “working with countries that support peace to press all parties to agree to the terms immediately.”
On Friday the Australian federal police commissioner, Reece Kershaw, told Senate estimates that police are seeing “growing threats against parliamentarians” including increased reports of harassment due to “recent world events”.
