Pro-Palestine March
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The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
Bridge protest misread creates new caucus problem for premier
Chris Minns read his MPs the riot act early last year. If his Labor colleagues had a passion for international relations, the premier warned them via an ABC interview, they should head down the Hume Highway and become an MP in Canberra. Minns was referencing MPs speaking out about the bitterly divisive issue of Palestine and Israel, the catalyst for some of the most fiery debates on the floor of NSW Labor Party conferences over decades. In this instance, two of Minns' MPs had signed a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, criticising the decision to suspend payments to the main UN agency in Gaza after Israel provided intelligence that it said linked some employees to the October 7, 2023 attacks. 'I can understand people feel passionately about international affairs,' Minns told ABC's Stateline, 'but honestly, if that's your passion, and that's where your desires are, your policy interests are, well, run for federal parliament.' Some 18 months on, Minns had better hope they do not follow his directions because 10 of them – or just shy of 20 per cent of his Labor caucus – revealed their passion/desires/interests when they took part in the pro-Palestine march across Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday. The most senior of those MPs, among at least 90,000 protesters, was the government's leader of the upper house and Environment Minister Penny Sharpe. Her attendance sent a clear message that the Left of the party can, despite Minns' instructions, walk and chew gum at the same time. Loading Also on the bridge were former Labor general secretary turned upper house MP Bob Nanva, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib and backbenchers Stephen Lawrence, Sarah Kaine, Anthony D'Adam, Lynda Voltz, Cameron Murphy, Kylie Wilkinson and Peter Primrose. Former Labor premier and long-term Palestine supporter Bob Carr joined them. Dib, a Muslim with family ties to Palestine, was understandably motivated to be on the bridge. The others had their own motivation – and they sent a clear message to Minns that being an elected official in NSW does not preclude you from having a position on a humanitarian crisis. It also shows that the caucus Minns has ruled with an iron fist since his election as leader is willing to think for itself. The first caucus meeting after the march, on Tuesday, was heated. MPs were angry. Before he was overruled by the Supreme Court and the protest given the greenlight, Minns said he would not tolerate shutting down the 'central artery' of Sydney, despite there being a history of that happening. (In 2007, the Harbour Bridge was closed for a full day to give US Vice-President Dick Cheney a clear ride through the city.) As is his skill, Minns played to both sides, stressing he had empathy for the plight of civilians in Gaza.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Bridge protest misread creates new caucus problem for premier
Chris Minns read his MPs the riot act early last year. If his Labor colleagues had a passion for international relations, the premier warned them via an ABC interview, they should head down the Hume Highway and become an MP in Canberra. Minns was referencing MPs speaking out about the bitterly divisive issue of Palestine and Israel, the catalyst for some of the most fiery debates on the floor of NSW Labor Party conferences over decades. In this instance, two of Minns' MPs had signed a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, criticising the decision to suspend payments to the main UN agency in Gaza after Israel provided intelligence that it said linked some employees to the October 7, 2023 attacks. 'I can understand people feel passionately about international affairs,' Minns told ABC's Stateline, 'but honestly, if that's your passion, and that's where your desires are, your policy interests are, well, run for federal parliament.' Some 18 months on, Minns had better hope they do not follow his directions because 10 of them – or just shy of 20 per cent of his Labor caucus – revealed their passion/desires/interests when they took part in the pro-Palestine march across Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday. The most senior of those MPs, among at least 90,000 protesters, was the government's leader of the upper house and Environment Minister Penny Sharpe. Her attendance sent a clear message that the Left of the party can, despite Minns' instructions, walk and chew gum at the same time. Loading Also on the bridge were former Labor general secretary turned upper house MP Bob Nanva, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib and backbenchers Stephen Lawrence, Sarah Kaine, Anthony D'Adam, Lynda Voltz, Cameron Murphy, Kylie Wilkinson and Peter Primrose. Former Labor premier and long-term Palestine supporter Bob Carr joined them. Dib, a Muslim with family ties to Palestine, was understandably motivated to be on the bridge. The others had their own motivation – and they sent a clear message to Minns that being an elected official in NSW does not preclude you from having a position on a humanitarian crisis. It also shows that the caucus Minns has ruled with an iron fist since his election as leader is willing to think for itself. The first caucus meeting after the march, on Tuesday, was heated. MPs were angry. Before he was overruled by the Supreme Court and the protest given the greenlight, Minns said he would not tolerate shutting down the 'central artery' of Sydney, despite there being a history of that happening. (In 2007, the Harbour Bridge was closed for a full day to give US Vice-President Dick Cheney a clear ride through the city.) As is his skill, Minns played to both sides, stressing he had empathy for the plight of civilians in Gaza.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Stanford student newspaper sues Trump administration over pro-Palestine deportations
The complaint accuses the Trump administration of turning free speech into a "privilege contingent upon the whims of a federal bureaucrat." The student newspaper at Stanford University sued the Trump administration over its attempt to use federal immigration law to revoke noncitizens' visas or deport them over pro-Palestinian speech, saying such policies violate the First and Fifth amendments of the U.S. Constitution. Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation, which operates Stanford University's student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, and two unnamed plaintiffs, filed the lawsuit on Aug. 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a national free speech group, is representing the student publication. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are named as defendants. The complaint claims noncitizen writers for the student newspaper have 'self-censored' by avoiding covering pro-Palestinian protests or any topic related to Israel's war in Gaza, and by attempting to remove their previous articles on the issue. The other plaintiffs, referred to as Jane Doe and John Doe, are noncitizens legally in the U.S., the complaint said. Though neither has been charged with or convicted of a crime, the lawsuit said their fear of potential retaliation by President Donald Trump's administration has prompted them to refrain from pro-Palestine speech. One individual has 'since resumed his journalism and pro-Palestinian advocacy, placing him at risk of visa revocation and deportation,' according to the complaint. 'Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration are trying to turn the inalienable human right of free speech into a privilege contingent upon the whims of a federal bureaucrat, triggering deportation proceedings against noncitizens residing lawfully in this country for their protected political speech regarding American and Israeli foreign policy,' the complaint said. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called it a "baseless, political lawsuit" in an email to USA TODAY. "DHS doesn't arrest people based on protected speech, so the plaintiffs' premise is incorrect," McLaughlin said. "DHS takes its role in removing threats to the public and our communities seriously, and the idea that enforcing federal law in that regard constitutes some kind of prior restraint on speech is laughable." McLaughlin said there is "no room in the United States for the rest of the world's terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here." "Sec. Noem has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for anti-American and anti-Semitic violence and terrorism – think again," she said. Among other requests, the complaint asks the court to grant both preliminary and permanent injunctions barring Rubio and Noem from attempting to use provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act to deport or otherwise retaliate against the plaintiffs based on their speech. The American Association of University Professors and its chapters at various universities filed a similar lawsuit in Boston over the administration's actions against noncitizens for their pro-Palestinian speech. The judge has not yet issued a ruling in the case. USA TODAY reached out to the State Department for comment. BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@ USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
