A pro-Palestinian activist group has accused the New South Wales premier of using Cold War-style rhetoric after he described protest organisers as “a pack of communists” during a parliamentary hearing.
The Palestine Action Group issued a statement criticising Premier Chris Minns after his remarks at a budget estimates hearing in the NSW parliament, where he characterised the group as activists “intent on confrontation with the police”.
In its response, the group compared Minns to US senator Joseph McCarthy, who led the anti-communist campaign in the United States during the Cold War period widely known as the “Red Scare”.
“It seems Chris Minns has completed his transformation into Senator Joe McCarthy, trampling on democratic rights and criminalising dissent with Cold War tactics,” the group said in the statement.
The organisation also accused the premier of attempting to suppress criticism of Israel and using strong language to justify the police response to recent demonstrations.
“Minns is desperate to justify the police violence he unleashed against peaceful protesters who opposed the visit of genocide-inciting president Isaac Herzog,” the statement said.
“It is the police who attacked protesters and worshippers on 9 February, not the other way around, which is confirmed by the mountain of video and eyewitness evidence.”
The group called on Minns to “come clean, apologise and resign for unleashing this shocking police brutality”.
The dispute stems from protests in Sydney surrounding the visit of Israeli president Isaac Herzog earlier this year. Demonstrations drew large crowds of pro-Palestinian activists and were closely monitored by police.
Following the protest on 9 February, a number of complaints were lodged alleging excessive force by police.
The NSW Law Enforcement Conduct Commission confirmed it would investigate the incidents after receiving what it described as “a significant number of complaints” relating to the policing of the demonstration.
Premier Minns and NSW police commissioner Mal Lanyon have defended the police response, arguing officers were required to maintain public order and ensure the safety of those attending the event as well as the wider public.
Speaking during the budget estimates hearing, Minns criticised the protest organisers, suggesting some activists were deliberately seeking confrontation with police.
The comments have intensified an already heated debate in New South Wales about protest rights, police powers and the handling of demonstrations related to the war in Gaza.
Civil liberties advocates have argued that recent protests have tested the balance between maintaining public safety and protecting the right to political expression.
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission investigation is expected to examine the conduct of police officers during the protest and whether any breaches of standards occurred.
Its findings could influence future policing approaches to large-scale demonstrations in the state.
