The Australian state of Queensland has banned pro-Palestine chants such as “From the river to the sea” and “Globalize the intifada,” triggering a backlash for stifling free speech.
The phrases were banned under legislation passed today in the state parliament.
Using the expressions — spoken or written, including chants or placards at protests — could carry penalties of up to two years in prison.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, of the conservative Liberal National Party (LNP), said the legislation forms part of the “strongest antisemitism laws in the country.”
But many Palestinians, Muslims and pro-Palestinian activists said the slogans are calls for Palestinian freedom and equal rights in the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
The phrases have been widely used globally during protests against Israel’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip.
The Labor Party, which sits in opposition in the state assembly, voted against the bill, arguing the changes were rushed and threatened free speech.
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“We have voted against the LNP’s laws to criminalize free speech,” opposition leader Steven Miles wrote on US social media company X.
The Islamic Council of Queensland warned that the bill threatens civil liberties and political expression.
In a submission on the legislation, the council said the phrases are understood by many Muslims “not as incitements to physical violence, but as calls for justice, democracy, and equal treatment for all citizens in the Holy Land.”
They said: “While acknowledging the need to address violence and extremism, the council warned that rushing legislation during the holiday period undermines democratic processes and public trust. ICQ said hastily enacted laws could suppress free speech and silence dissenting opinions, with effects lasting for generations.”
The legislation was introduced following the December attack at Bondi Beach, which killed 16 people, including a gunman, and also includes gun law reforms requiring new firearm license applicants to be Australian citizens.
