New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has revealed that former Australian of the Year Grace Tame is unlikely to face criminal prosecution for her participation in a pro-Palestinian rally where she led controversial chants. The admission came during a budget estimates hearing on Friday where Commissioner Lanyon acknowledged he hadn’t personally viewed Ms. Tame’s speech footage.
The incident occurred earlier this month when Ms. Tame, a prominent sexual assault survivor and advocate, was recorded chanting “From Gadigal to Gaza, globalise the Intifada” during protests opposing Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s Australian visit. The phrase references historical Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation but is widely interpreted within Jewish communities as advocating violence against Jewish people.
Despite recent legislative moves in Queensland criminalizing similar language and recommendations for NSW to follow suit, Commissioner Lanyon stated that current laws don’t classify the term as prohibited. “It’s not a prohibited term at the moment,” Lanyon testified, while acknowledging the phrase “may be offensive to some members of the community.”
The police investigation focused on whether the chant violated Section 93ZAA of the Crimes Act 1900, which prohibits publicly inciting hatred on racial grounds. Both Commissioner Lanyon and Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson confirmed no formal complaints had been registered with NSW Police regarding Ms. Tame’s speech.
The political context surrounding the incident remains charged, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese facing opposition pressure to condemn Ms. Tame’s actions. This follows the Prime Minister’s recent controversial description of Ms. Tame as a “difficult” woman, for which he subsequently apologized, clarifying he referred to her life experiences rather than her character.