Australia Considers Protest Bans Near Synagogues and Jewish Schoo 2026

Australia is considering protest bans outside synagogues and Jewish schools, following a high court decision that upheld safe access zone laws near abortion clinics. Former attorney general Mark Dreyfus argues these measures could reduce “distress and anxiety” for Jewish Australians, similar to protections already in place for abortion clinic visitors.

High Court Precedent for Safe Access Zones

In 2019, the Australian High Court upheld safe access zone laws in Victoria and Tasmania, which prohibit protests within 150 metres of abortion clinics. Dreyfus cited this ruling as a legal foundation for extending similar restrictions to places of worship and Jewish schools. “The high court said that kind of law directed at reducing distress and anxiety to Australians who need to attend an abortion clinic is within the constraints of the implied freedom of political communication,” he told the antisemitism royal commission.

Proposed Protections for Jewish Communities

Dreyfus emphasized that the goal is not to ban political protest entirely, but to protect Jewish Australians from targeted harassment. He called for governments to consider “some similar restriction on protest activity outside synagogues, on protest activity outside schools and Jewish places of gathering.” This comes amid rising antisemitic incidents since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.

Security Concerns and Community Impact

The royal commission’s fifth block of hearings in Melbourne is examining security arrangements for the Jewish community, including the role of the Jewish Community Security Group (CSGs) and their coordination with law enforcement. Counsel assisting Richard Lancaster SC stated that evidence shows “a substantial and ongoing threat to the safety and security of the Jewish community in Australia,” leading to a “shrinking of Jewish communal life” due to the financial burden of employing security guards.

Key Takeaways from the Proposal

• Legal precedent: The 2019 High Court ruling on abortion clinic zones supports similar restrictions for religious sites.
• Reducing distress: The aim is to protect Jewish Australians from anxiety and harassment during worship and school activities.
• Ongoing threat: Security costs and risks have forced some Jewish institutions to scale back communal life.
• State-level action: New South Wales reintroduced laws restricting protests blocking access to places of worship after earlier legislation was struck down.

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