Parry was arrested in March outside Queensland state parliament after allegedly saying 'from the river to the sea' at a student protest in support of Palestine. He was charged with publicly reciting a prohibited expression that might make a member of the public feel menaced, harassed, or offended. Queensland has banned the phrases 'from the river to the sea' and 'globalise the intifada', categorising them as hate speech against Jewish people under new 'fighting anti-Semitism' legislation. Queensland is the first state in Australia to criminalise the two protest chants.
Parry appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where Magistrate Louise Shepherd ordered the matter to return to court on April 29. The police prosecutor did not oppose Parry being granted bail again. Outside the court, a pro-Palestine protester, Mark Gillespie, displayed a sign reading 'from the sea to the river Palestine will live forever'. Police took Gillespie aside and spoke to him; he agreed to stop displaying the sign after being told he would be arrested otherwise.
It's surreal and dangerous.
Earlier this month, a man and a woman were arrested for using the phrase 'from the river to the sea', marking the first enforcement of the law. The 18-year-old woman was cautioned by police, while the 33-year-old man was due to appear in court next month. The law prescribes a maximum penalty of two years in prison for public display, distribution, or recitation of the phrases where they may be deemed to 'menace, harass or offend' members of the public.
The legislation was introduced after the Bondi Beach shooting in December, which left 15 people dead and 40 wounded. The phrase 'from the river to the sea' is controversial, with some interpreting it as a call for Palestinian freedom and others as implying the elimination of Israel. Intifada is used by Palestinians to refer to rebellions against Israeli rule, while many Jews claim it is a call to violence against them.
I'm contesting these charges.
Human rights activists have criticised Queensland's new hate speech law, fearing it could suppress dissent and criticism of Israel's war on Gaza. Parry is contesting the charges and says the government is trying to criminalise pro-Palestine advocacy. Parry said it was surreal and dangerous that he was facing a potential two-year sentence. Parry said his speech was about standing up for the people of Palestine and was not hateful or menacing. Parry said the police's treatment of Mark Gillespie over his poster was shocking.
Supporters say the measures are necessary to combat antisemitism and help Jewish communities feel safer. Premier David Crisafulli said the reforms were the strongest protections to address growing threats and were making Queensland safer. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the laws, saying they will deal with hatred and guns, and ensure Australia remains a society where everyone has the right to be proud of who they are. Jason Steinberg, president of the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies, said the laws would help Jewish communities feel safer after unprecedented levels of hate, intimidation and fear.
It's an important moment in Queensland right now. the government is trying to criminalise pro-Palestine advocacy. We can't accept that.
I don't think there was anything hateful or menacing about my speech. My speech was about standing up for the people of Palestine.
Thanks everybody for coming out. This is an ongoing matter. We need to keep speaking out for Palestine.