Response after ‘terrorist’ flag at protests

Anthony Albanese is warning about “radical ideologies” after flags of a terrorist organisation were wave at demonstrations in Sydney and Melbourne over the weekend.

Protesters against Israel’s military action in Lebanon and Gaza took to the streets of the country’s biggest cities on Saturday and Sunday, with some waving Hezbollah flags and holding framed portraits of the Lebanese terrorist group’s slain leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday that Nasrallah, one of its founding members, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon’s capital Beirut.

The Prime Minister renewed Australia’s “call for a de-escalation” between Israel and Hezbollah on Monday, but said elements of the weekend’s protests were “worrying”.

“We have continued to call for a de-escalation of that conflict in the Middle East,” Mr Albanese told reporters.

“At the same time we’ve seen worrying signs over the weekend. We do not want people to bring radical ideologies and conflict here.

“Our multiculturalism and social cohesion cannot be taken for granted and it’s important that we continue to stress that that is the case as we go forward as well.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has been in New York advocating Australia’s for a ceasefire and a “clear timeline” for Palestinian statehood since last week.

She also championed a global push for better protections for aid workers in all conflict zones.

Weighing in on the shows of support for Hezbollah at the demonstrations, Senator Wong called on political leaders to “reject terrorism and extremism.”

“We condemn any indication of support for a terrorist organisation such as (Hezbollah),” Senator Wong posted on X.

“It not only threatens national security, but fuels fear and division in our communities.

All of us – including every political leader – must stand together to reject terrorism and extremism.”

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the government should be “arresting people already”.

“We’ve got Jewish schools where we’ve got armed guards out the front of, there are people who are living in the Jewish community in fear and there is an absolute outrage in relation to the glorification of a terrorist leader, which surely must be against the Australian law,” Mr Dutton told 4BC radio.

“And if it’s not, the parliament should be recalled to pass a law that prohibits that from happening.

“I find it completely unacceptable that the government wouldn’t be arresting people already, or cancelling visas of people who are glorifying Hezbollah and Hamas and others.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Sunday vowed to consider refusing or cancelling visas for anyone supporting terrorist organisations.