Protest Against Hate Speech Laws
Free speech arrests made headlines on 18th April 2026, when twenty individuals were detained during a protest in Brisbane. They opposed Queensland’s newly enacted hate speech laws. Organized by Justice for Palestine Magandjin, the demonstration took place at Emma Miller Place.
Hundreds gathered to voice dissent against what is seen as restrictive laws impacting free speech. The weekend of action also featured a flash mob on Friday night, with participants singing John Farnham‘s ‘Two Strong Hearts’.
Edward Carroll, Queensland State Leader of the Australian Progressives and member of Brisbane Jewish collective Doykeit, was among those arrested. He declared, “These laws do not protect us as Jewish people; they silence dissent and support for Palestine.”
Arrests and Charges
Jewish speakers Edward Carroll and Stephen Heydt, along with Palestinian Australian Zac Karanikich, were arrested. They face charges for displaying and reciting prohibited expressions under the new laws. Arrestees were released after being detained in the Brisbane Watchhouse for around six hours, now facing 14 charges of displaying a prohibited expression and seven charges of reciting a prohibited expression.
Stephen Heydt, who grew up in South Africa, was active against apartheid from a young age. He has worked with organisations like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Save the Children, and the Danish Refugee Council in Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel. He criticised the laws, saying, “These are Israel’s laws. They protect a government committing genocide, not Jews.”
Palestinian Australian Zac Karanikich, representing Students for Palestine, expressed hope: “One day we can win a world where this type of violence never happens again.”
The protest has ignited discussions on balancing the fight against antisemitism with preserving free speech. It highlights concerns over free speech and antisemitism, challenging the perception of the laws as a means of silencing dissent rather than protecting Jewish communities.
Among the protestors, a significant number were Jewish Australians who believe the laws do not align with their values. The event drew attention to the broader implications of the laws on international relations and sovereignty, as the measures are seen as authoritarian over-reach by critics.
As a leader of the Queensland Progressives, Carroll highlighted the importance of sovereignty and independence in state law, emphasizing that the laws were not representative of the Australian Constitution or the rights of Palestinian communities.
