Some honesty about "globalise the intifada", please

January 20, 2026

Chris Minns repeatedly accused protesters of chanting “ globalise the intifada”. A woman said on television that protesters chant “gas the Jews”. I have attended the Palestine Action Group’s protests dozens of times, and I have never chanted “globalise the intifada” (or heaven forbid, “gas the Jews”), or heard anyone else chant them.

The most I ever heard of “globalise the intifada” came from the lips of the Premier, who has greatly succeeded in popularising it.

Anyone attending these rallies will find that protesters are mostly seniors, families with prams and small children, nurses, Jews, teachers, union members, students, etc. They are friendly, ordinary people we would be happy to have as our neighbours. These rallies are well-managed by the PAG’s own experienced volunteer marshals. There have been over 100 such protests, including the 300,000-strong march across the Harbour Bridge, and they have invariably been peaceful, orderly, and without any notable incidents.

Our democracy, free speech and protest rights cannot be sacrificed on the altar of false accusations, pandering journalism and an inhumane political agenda. We do not (yet) live in a Trumpian dystopia where lies are true, and marching for humanity somehow black-magically caused a massacre.