Human rights groups urge Victoria not to adopt NSW protest permit system in response to alleged antisemitic attacks

<p>Jacinta Allan says ‘anti-hate taskforce’ to consider if police powers should be increased to ‘stamp out extreme and violent protest’</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/jul/07/synagogue-melbourne-anthony-albanese-politics-chris-bowen-climate-summit-cop31-weather-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Human rights groups have urged the Victorian government to resist political pressure to adopt the New South Wales government’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/04/protesters-wouldnt-have-to-fight-for-police-permission-if-nsw-had-less-undemocratic-system-expert-says">protest permit system</a> in response to several antisemitic attacks on the weekend.</p><p>The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has announced an “anti-hate taskforce” after Friday’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/06/tony-burke-says-melbourne-synagogue-fire-an-attack-on-australia-as-nsw-man-charged-over-incident-ntwnfb">arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue</a>, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/05/jacinta-allan-condemns-cowards-after-police-allege-suspicious-fire-lit-at-melbourne-synagogue-with-20-people-inside-ntwnfb">targeting of an Israeli restaurant</a>, the alleged vandalism of a company linked to Israeli-weapons and isolated but violent chants at a demonstration on Sunday.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/07/human-rights-groups-urge-victoria-not-to-adopt-nsw-protest-permit-system-in-response-to-alleged-antisemitic-attacks">Continue reading...</a>