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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Luca Ittimani

NSW police wrongly categorise ‘significant’ number of incidents as antisemitic

A protester waves a Palestinian flag during a pro Palestine rally calling for sanctions against Israel outside Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, 20 July 2025
A protester waves a Palestinian flag during a pro-Palestine rally in Canberra. The NSW government cited incorrect figures about antisemitic incidents to defend laws restricting protests near places of worship. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/EPA

New South Wales police wrongly categorised a “significant” number of incidents as antisemitic, including anti-Palestinian graffiti and verbal abuse of pro-Palestine protesters, a parliamentary inquiry has been told.

The state government had cited the figures to defend laws empowering restrictions on protests. Police blamed staff churn for the errors in a lengthy written response to the justice and communities committee this month after questioning at the NSW parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism.

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