Latest news with #Rumble
NZ Herald
5 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Top NZ rower Zack Rumble apologises over Seattle incident, cops booze ban
Rumble said he 'deeply regrets' his actions. 'I take full responsibility for my actions, what I did was wrong, and I acknowledge that it was not okay, and will never be acceptable. I am doing everything possible to ensure that an event like this never happens again.' What police say happened after the party Rowing NZ has previously declined to provide any details of what led to one of its athletes being detained for nearly 48 hours at Washington State's King County Correctional Facility. However, the official arrest report, obtained through the Seattle Police Department's public records office, has shed further light on the incident. The report says Rumble was arrested on two counts of assault and one of obstructing a public officer following a dramatic escalation of events as a result of Rumble fleeing from police during questioning. The charges against the rower were later dismissed. Zack Rumble (third from left) is a member of the New Zealand's men's four crew. Photo / Rowing NZ 2025 According to the documents, police were called to the Seattle Yacht Club at 10.43pm following reports of 'two intoxicated guests fighting'. On arrival at the yacht club, officers were flagged down by staff and pointed in the direction of Rumble. The Kiwi was described by officers as initially being co-operative. However, according to the officer questioning Rumble, while she was awaiting her colleague to gather witness statements, the rower took a video call from a friend who encouraged him to join them at another party. 'About 30 seconds later, Rumble said, 'alright, bye', and pushed me on my left shoulder and took off running eastbound,' the officer described in her report. As her male colleague gave chase on foot, a member of the yacht club pulled up in their pick-up truck and offered the officer a ride. She climbed into the bed of the truck and joined the pursuit of the Kiwi athlete. Rumble was found hiding under a bush in the front yard of a residential property about 400m away, according to the report. The officer described Rumble as being 'non-compliant in coming out with his hands up'. He was eventually detained by another officer and taken into custody at 11.58pm. The scuffle The New Zealand rowing team made up of a men's and women's eight had been invited guests of the yacht club having competed in the prestigious Windermere Cup, which is traditionally held on the opening day of the boating season in Seattle. According to the event's website, prizegiving festivities kicked off at 12.30pm. Ten hours later, Rumble was at the yacht club. According to witness reports obtained by Seattle Police, Rumble had been causing 'multiple disturbances' at the party, including throwing empty cups at other patrons. Zack Rumble (third from left) in action with the men's four crew at the World Cup in Varese, Italy in June. Photo / Rowing NZ 2025 Eventually, Rumble left the group. When he attempted to go back inside the party, one of the patrons tried to talk to Rumble and advised him to go home as his teammates had left. The report states: 'Rumble then reached around and grabbed [the victim] around his waist. [The victim] advised that Rumble lifted him up off the ground' and he feared he would be thrown to the ground. Another patron then intervened and pushed Rumble into the wall to stop him from hurting the victim, according to witness statements. The Kiwi received a cut above the eye in the scuffle. When questioned by officers, Rumble gave several different versions of events. 'When officers confronted Rumble about his changing story, he advised that he did not remember what happened.' The officer observed that Rumble appeared 'highly intoxicated' but was 'co-operative the entirety of the time of waiting' until he fled the scene. She said Rumble ignored several commands from police to stop. The review The 'distressing' events in Seattle sparked major logistical and financial headaches for Rowing NZ officials. The national body previously told RNZ one of the coaching staff remained in the US to support Rumble as he dealt with law enforcement. 'This was a distressing time for the athlete and our team members and Rowing NZ has worked hard to make sure the athletes and coaches in our care have the support around them they need,' Wickham said. Upon the team's return, Rowing NZ engaged prominent sports lawyer Don Mackinnon to lead an independent review of the tour to 'seek learnings and recommendations'. But the national body's handling of the episode has reportedly caused division among the athletes in its elite squad. Rumble was allowed to travel to Europe last month to compete in World Cup events in Italy and Switzerland as part of the men's four crew, leading to concerns it demonstrated a lack of accountability for bad behaviour. Wickham said Rowing NZ's response had been measured and appropriate. 'Rowing NZ felt it was important to gather and consider all information before any decisions were made in regard to this tour and any future tours. The independent review ensured that any members of our team had the opportunity to express any views or concerns they had about the tour in confidence.' Following the completion of the review and discussions with Rumble, Rowing NZ imposed a range of sanctions and remedial actions. The sanctions include a 'significant financial penalty' and a final written warning, 'understanding any further breaches of the athlete agreement, code of conduct or Rowing New Zealand's core values may jeopardise Zack's future in the programme'. Rumble has also agreed to undergo professional counselling and complete an alcohol education course. He will be barred from drinking any alcohol while representing Rowing NZ, at least until the education and counselling programmes are completed. He will formally apologise to Rowing NZ and the athletes and staff affected. Wickham declined to release the full review, but he said findings indicate Rowing NZ can be confident the full squad 'behaved in accordance with expectations' on the tour, 'the significant exception to that being Zack Rumble's behaviours on the last evening'. 'Rowing NZ will continue to ensure that expectations around behaviours of our team [athletes, staff and all support team members] are clear and that being positive role models, being professional and maintaining high personal standards are a part of who we are and what we do.' -RNZ
Otago Daily Times
5 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Kiwi rower fled US police, hid in a bush
By Dana Johannsen of RNZ A top Kiwi rower who was arrested in Seattle after a post-regatta celebration bolted from police while being questioned over an alleged assault and then hid in a bush, official documents say. As first reported by RNZ in May, Zack Rumble, a member of the New Zealand men's elite team, missed his flight home from the US with his team as he was in police custody. He has now admitted his actions were "not okay", is banned from drinking while representing Rowing NZ and is on a final warning. The May 3 incident prompted Rowing NZ to launch an independent review of the tour. The review, led by Don Mackinnon, found Rumble's actions amounted to significant breaches of Rowing NZ's code of conduct and his athlete agreement. In a statement, Rowing NZ chief executive Simon Wickham, said a range of sanctions will be imposed, including a "significant financial penalty" and a final written warning. Rumble said he "deeply regrets" his actions. "I take full responsibility for my actions, what I did was wrong, and I acknowledge that it was not okay, and will never be acceptable. I am doing everything possible to ensure that an event like this never happens again." What police say happened after the party Rowing NZ has previously declined to provide any details of what led to one of its athletes being detained for nearly 48 hours at Washington State's King County Correctional Facility. However, the official arrest report, obtained through the Seattle Police Department's public records office, has shed further light on the incident. The report says Rumble was arrested on two counts of assault and one of obstructing a public officer following a dramatic escalation of events as a result of Rumble fleeing from police during questioning. The charges against the young rower were later dismissed. According to the documents, police were called to the Seattle Yacht Club at 10.43pm following reports of "two intoxicated guests fighting". On arrival at the yacht club, officers were flagged down by staff and pointed in the direction of Rumble. The Kiwi was described by officers as initially being cooperative. However, according to the officer questioning Rumble, while she was awaiting her colleague to gather witness statements, the young rower took a video call from a friend who encouraged him to join them at another party. "About 30 seconds later, Rumble said, 'alright, bye', and pushed me on my left shoulder and took off running eastbound," the officer described in her report. As her male colleague gave chase on foot, a member of the yacht club pulled up in their pick-up truck and offered the officer a ride. She climbed into the bed of the truck and joined the pursuit of the Kiwi athlete. Rumble was found hiding under a bush in the front yard of a residential property about 400m away, according to the report. The officer described Rumble as being "noncompliant in coming out with his hands up". He was eventually detained by another officer and taken into custody at 11.58pm. The scuffle The New Zealand rowing team made up of a men's and women's eight had been invited guests of the yacht club having competed in the prestigious Windermere Cup, which is traditionally held on the opening day of the boating season in Seattle. According to the event's website, prizegiving festivities kicked off at 12.30pm. Ten hours later, Rumble was at the yacht club. According to witness reports obtained by Seattle Police, Rumble had been causing "multiple disturbances" at the party, including throwing empty cups at other patrons. Eventually, Rumble left the group. When he attempted to go back inside the party, one of the patrons tried to talk to Rumble and advised him to go home as his teammates had left. The report states: "Rumble then reached around and grabbed [the victim] around his waist. [The victim] advised that Rumble lifted him up off the ground" and he feared he would be thrown to the ground. Another patron then intervened and pushed Rumble into the wall to stop him from hurting the victim, according to witness statements. The young Kiwi received a cut above the eye in the scuffle. When questioned by officers, Rumble gave several different versions of events. "When officers confronted Rumble about his changing story, he advised that he did not remember what happened." The officer observed that Rumble appeared "highly intoxicated" but was "cooperative the entirety of the time of waiting" until he fled the scene. She said Rumble ignored several commands from Police to stop. The review The "distressing" events in Seattle sparked major logistical and financial headaches for Rowing NZ officials. The national body previously told RNZ one of the coaching staff remained in the US to support Rumble as he dealt with law enforcement. "This was a distressing time for the athlete and our team members and Rowing NZ has worked hard to make sure the athletes and coaches in our care have the support around them they need," Wickham said. Upon the team's return, Rowing NZ engaged prominent sports lawyer Don Mackinnon to lead an independent review of the tour to "seek learnings and recommendations". But the national body's handling of the episode has reportedly caused division among the athletes in its elite squad. Rumble was allowed to travel to Europe last month to compete in World Cup events in Italy and Switzerland as part of the men's four crew, leading to concerns it demonstrated a lack of accountability for bad behaviour. Wickham said Rowing NZ's response had been measured and appropriate. "Rowing NZ felt it was important to gather and consider all information before any decisions were made in regard to this tour and any future tours. The independent review ensured that any members of our team had the opportunity to express any views or concerns they had about the tour in confidence." Following the completion of the review and discussions with Rumble, Rowing NZ imposed a range of sanctions and remedial actions. The sanctions include a "significant financial penalty" and a final written warning, "understanding any further breaches of the athlete agreement, code of conduct or Rowing New Zealand's core values may jeopardise Zack's future in the programme". Rumble has also agreed to undergo professional counselling and complete an alcohol education course. He will be barred from drinking any alcohol while representing Rowing NZ, at least until the education and counselling programmes are completed. The young athlete will formally apologise to Rowing NZ and athletes and staff affected. Wickham declined to release the full review, but he said findings indicate Rowing NZ can be confident the full squad up "behaved in accordance with expectations" on the tour, "the significant exception to that being Zack Rumble's behaviours on the last evening". "Rowing NZ will continue to ensure that expectations around behaviours of our team (athletes, staff and all support team members) are clear and that being positive role models, being professional and maintaining high personal standards are a part of who we are and what we do," Wickham said.
Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump's Truth Social, Rumble Escalate Legal War With Brazil Supreme Court
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An escalating international free speech clash is reigniting tensions between U.S. tech platforms and the Supreme Court in Brazil. Rumble Inc. and Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), parent of Truth Social, have filed an amended federal lawsuit in their action against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes after he ordered Rumble block a U.S. citizen, court papers show. The new order from Moraes, issued July 11, demanded Rumble block the U.S. citizen, identified in legal fillings as a political commentator in Florida ("Political Dissident B") or face daily fines of 100,000 reais (about $20,000 USD) from July 13, the papers said. Rumble and TMTG accuse Justice Moraes of judicial overreach by ordering the blocking of a U.S.-based user's account on Rumble, demanding the preservation of the account's content, and requiring disclosure of identifying user data to Brazilian authorities. A spokesperson for the law firm representing Rumble, Boies Schiller Flexner, told Newsweek: "Brazil is claiming that it is combating foreign disinformation and extremism, but the issue isn't whether Brazil can regulate content within its own borders. It's that this one judge—Justice Alexandre de Moraes—is attempting to enforce Brazilian censorship standards on U.S. platforms, against U.S. citizens, for speech that occurred entirely in the United States." President of the Superior Electoral Court, Judge Alexandre de Moraes, speaks during the inauguration of the Center for Combating Disinformation and Defense of Democracy in Brasilia, Brazil, March 12, 2024. President Donald Trump speaks during... President of the Superior Electoral Court, Judge Alexandre de Moraes, speaks during the inauguration of the Center for Combating Disinformation and Defense of Democracy in Brasilia, Brazil, March 12, 2024. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. More Eraldo Peres/Alex Brandon/AP Photo He said the new filing brings the July 11 order before U.S. courts. "It raises urgent legal questions—not only about Moraes's violation of U.S. law and treaty with Brazil, but also about whether a foreign judge can secretly compel U.S. platforms to suppress constitutionally protected speech. The court will have to grapple with these issues, and we believe the amended complaint presents them in a clear and compelling way." Rumble has been blocked in Brazil since February following an order by the same judge. Why It Matters The amended complaint, filed July 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, marks a significant escalation in a months-long legal battle. Over the past several years de Moraes has emerged as one of the most forceful figures in Brazil's digital landscape, launching a sweeping crackdown on what he describes as online threats to the country's democratic institutions. His orders have resulted in the removal or suspension of hundreds of social media accounts, most of them affiliated with conservative and right-wing figures or causes. With freedom of speech, digital sovereignty, and cross-border law enforcement all in play, this case may well define the boundaries of online speech for years to come. What To Know The American citizen at the center of the new escalation, Political Dissident B, "has been previously targeted by Justice Moraes through suspensions of his accounts on social media platforms, retaliatory criminal proceedings in Brazil, the invalidation of his Brazilian passport, and asset freezes," lawyers for Rumble said. The new order "represents the first instance in which Justice Moraes has targeted Rumble for the account of this U.S. citizen," they added. This amended suit supplements an original complaint filed in February 2025, which challenged Justice Moraes's earlier orders against a Brazilian political dissident living abroad. A U.S. judge ruled then that the Brazilian orders could not be enforced on American soil. Now, the plaintiffs assert the latest actions reveal a broader, systematic effort by Moraes to suppress political discourse on U.S.-based platforms. Both platforms said they will not comply, labeling the order "invalid and unenforceable." Rumble and TMTG's legal response leans heavily on the Declaratory Judgment Act and First Amendment protections, arguing that extraterritorial censorship violates American constitutional rights and norms of international comity. Who Is Justice Alexandre de Moraes? Rumble has been suspended in Brazil since February 2025, on Justice Moraes' orders, for allegedly refusing to comply with court orders. To many on the Brazilian left, de Moraes is hailed as a guardian of democracy, credited with helping to stave off an alleged coup attempt following the contentious 2022 presidential election. Supporters view his actions as a necessary response, that Brazil is combating coordinated disinformation campaigns that threaten national stability and that platforms like Rumble and Truth Social have facilitated foreign interference and extremism. Critics on the right accuse de Moraes of overstepping, attempting to impose Brazil's censorship standards globally, that he represents the dangers of judicial overreach. Detractors accuse him of weaponizing his authority to silence political dissent and suppress conservative voices, raising alarms about censorship and authoritarianism in the name of public order. Justice de Moraes is a controversial figure, known for aggressive rulings aimed at curbing misinformation in Brazil. Earlier this year, he ordered X temporarily blocked in Brazil and threatened further restrictions on noncompliant platforms, sparking concerns from civil liberties advocates. The U.S. government has taken notice. According to the Financial Times, the Justice Department informed Brazilian authorities in May that such foreign orders are unenforceable in the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also threatened Magnitsky sanctions against de Moraes over alleged abuses of judicial power. What People Are Saying A spokesperson for the law firm representing Rumble, Boies Schiller Flexner, told Newsweek: "The First Amendment protects speech on American soil. Brazil has no legal authority to compel U.S.-based companies to restrict speech by U.S. citizens under U.S. law, much less through secret orders sent directly to company headquarters in Florida. That's why Rumble and Trump Media brought this suit. Moraes is putting Rumble in the situation of having to violate U.S. law to comply with his illegal order. E. Martin De Luca, Lead Attorney & Partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, representing Rumble said in a LinkedIn post on July 16 that the amended filling was "triggered by a new order of Justice Alexandre de Moraes of Brazil's Supreme Court that is the most blatant defiance of both U.S. and Brazilian law yet." When the original lawsuit was filed, Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski said: "This is a landmark battle for free speech in the digital age." Rumble called the U.S. courts order barring the Brazillian court's order to block "Political Dissident A", "a complete victory for free speech" that "sends a strong message to foreign governments that they cannot bypass U.S. law to impose censorship on American platforms." What Happens Next The amended complaint is now before U.S. District Judge Mary Stenson Scriven, who previously blocked enforcement of de Moraes's orders due to improper diplomatic service. Judge Scriven will decide whether this latest request, focused on a U.S. citizen's account, raises new legal issues.
The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Islamist preacher unable to 'bury' anti-Semitism ruling
An Islamist preacher who used harmful racial stereotypes about Jewish people in sermons will be forced to tell the world of his anti-Semitism through prominent online posts. Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad was ordered by the Federal Court earlier in July not to repeat the perverse and racist tropes used in a series of fiery sermons from November 2023. In the speeches, Mr Haddad - who is also known as William Haddad or Abu Ousayd - variously referred to Jewish people as "vile", "treacherous", "murderous" and "mischievous". Justice Angus Stewart found the sermons contained "perverse generalisations" against Jewish people and included racist, anti-Semitic tropes. The judge on Thursday ordered the preacher "pin" or "feature" corrective notices describing the court's findings to the centre's website and social media pages on Facebook, Rumble, Instagram and Soundcloud. He has been given 21 days to comply with the order and the posts had not been made as of Thursday afternoon. Mr Haddad objected to prominently displaying the notices, saying this would go beyond what was ordinarily ordered by the courts. Pinning the posts would be tantamount to promoting or advertising the findings, he said. Justice Stewart ordered the notices to be pinned for 30 days, saying the requirement was not unduly burdensome and would stop them disappearing from view. "It will prevent them from being deliberately buried by way of successive further posts," the judge wrote. Promoting the notices was part of their objective, he said. "The respondents promoted the unlawful lectures and it is not disproportionate to require them to promote the corrective notice in the relatively constrained manner described above as an appropriate form of redress," he wrote in his judgment. The notice itself highlights the "unlawful behaviour based on racial hatred" of Mr Haddad and the centre. The three lectures - titled "The Jews of Al Medina" and published on video hosting site Rumble - were reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Jewish members of the Australian community, the notice says. The lawsuit was brought by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and deputy president Robert Goot, who claimed the lectures were offensive and could incite violence towards Jewish people. The pair said they were vindicated by Justice Stewart's findings, saying no community in Australia should be dehumanised. "Freedom of expression should not be abused by the promotion of hateful anti-Semitism and those who wish to do so should know that conduct shouldn't be tolerated by us," Mr Goot told reporters after the judgment. The cleric has been ordered to remove the lectures and not to repeat similar racist statements about Jewish people in public. He will also have to pay the legal bill for Mr Wertheim and Mr Goot, which is estimated to be in the six figures. Mr Haddad's speeches were delivered after Hamas, designated by Australia as a terrorist group, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The attack sparked Israeli retaliation that has left Gaza in turmoil and tens of thousands of civilians dead. An Islamist preacher who used harmful racial stereotypes about Jewish people in sermons will be forced to tell the world of his anti-Semitism through prominent online posts. Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad was ordered by the Federal Court earlier in July not to repeat the perverse and racist tropes used in a series of fiery sermons from November 2023. In the speeches, Mr Haddad - who is also known as William Haddad or Abu Ousayd - variously referred to Jewish people as "vile", "treacherous", "murderous" and "mischievous". Justice Angus Stewart found the sermons contained "perverse generalisations" against Jewish people and included racist, anti-Semitic tropes. The judge on Thursday ordered the preacher "pin" or "feature" corrective notices describing the court's findings to the centre's website and social media pages on Facebook, Rumble, Instagram and Soundcloud. He has been given 21 days to comply with the order and the posts had not been made as of Thursday afternoon. Mr Haddad objected to prominently displaying the notices, saying this would go beyond what was ordinarily ordered by the courts. Pinning the posts would be tantamount to promoting or advertising the findings, he said. Justice Stewart ordered the notices to be pinned for 30 days, saying the requirement was not unduly burdensome and would stop them disappearing from view. "It will prevent them from being deliberately buried by way of successive further posts," the judge wrote. Promoting the notices was part of their objective, he said. "The respondents promoted the unlawful lectures and it is not disproportionate to require them to promote the corrective notice in the relatively constrained manner described above as an appropriate form of redress," he wrote in his judgment. The notice itself highlights the "unlawful behaviour based on racial hatred" of Mr Haddad and the centre. The three lectures - titled "The Jews of Al Medina" and published on video hosting site Rumble - were reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Jewish members of the Australian community, the notice says. The lawsuit was brought by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and deputy president Robert Goot, who claimed the lectures were offensive and could incite violence towards Jewish people. The pair said they were vindicated by Justice Stewart's findings, saying no community in Australia should be dehumanised. "Freedom of expression should not be abused by the promotion of hateful anti-Semitism and those who wish to do so should know that conduct shouldn't be tolerated by us," Mr Goot told reporters after the judgment. The cleric has been ordered to remove the lectures and not to repeat similar racist statements about Jewish people in public. He will also have to pay the legal bill for Mr Wertheim and Mr Goot, which is estimated to be in the six figures. Mr Haddad's speeches were delivered after Hamas, designated by Australia as a terrorist group, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The attack sparked Israeli retaliation that has left Gaza in turmoil and tens of thousands of civilians dead. An Islamist preacher who used harmful racial stereotypes about Jewish people in sermons will be forced to tell the world of his anti-Semitism through prominent online posts. Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad was ordered by the Federal Court earlier in July not to repeat the perverse and racist tropes used in a series of fiery sermons from November 2023. In the speeches, Mr Haddad - who is also known as William Haddad or Abu Ousayd - variously referred to Jewish people as "vile", "treacherous", "murderous" and "mischievous". Justice Angus Stewart found the sermons contained "perverse generalisations" against Jewish people and included racist, anti-Semitic tropes. The judge on Thursday ordered the preacher "pin" or "feature" corrective notices describing the court's findings to the centre's website and social media pages on Facebook, Rumble, Instagram and Soundcloud. He has been given 21 days to comply with the order and the posts had not been made as of Thursday afternoon. Mr Haddad objected to prominently displaying the notices, saying this would go beyond what was ordinarily ordered by the courts. Pinning the posts would be tantamount to promoting or advertising the findings, he said. Justice Stewart ordered the notices to be pinned for 30 days, saying the requirement was not unduly burdensome and would stop them disappearing from view. "It will prevent them from being deliberately buried by way of successive further posts," the judge wrote. Promoting the notices was part of their objective, he said. "The respondents promoted the unlawful lectures and it is not disproportionate to require them to promote the corrective notice in the relatively constrained manner described above as an appropriate form of redress," he wrote in his judgment. The notice itself highlights the "unlawful behaviour based on racial hatred" of Mr Haddad and the centre. The three lectures - titled "The Jews of Al Medina" and published on video hosting site Rumble - were reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Jewish members of the Australian community, the notice says. The lawsuit was brought by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and deputy president Robert Goot, who claimed the lectures were offensive and could incite violence towards Jewish people. The pair said they were vindicated by Justice Stewart's findings, saying no community in Australia should be dehumanised. "Freedom of expression should not be abused by the promotion of hateful anti-Semitism and those who wish to do so should know that conduct shouldn't be tolerated by us," Mr Goot told reporters after the judgment. The cleric has been ordered to remove the lectures and not to repeat similar racist statements about Jewish people in public. He will also have to pay the legal bill for Mr Wertheim and Mr Goot, which is estimated to be in the six figures. Mr Haddad's speeches were delivered after Hamas, designated by Australia as a terrorist group, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The attack sparked Israeli retaliation that has left Gaza in turmoil and tens of thousands of civilians dead. An Islamist preacher who used harmful racial stereotypes about Jewish people in sermons will be forced to tell the world of his anti-Semitism through prominent online posts. Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad was ordered by the Federal Court earlier in July not to repeat the perverse and racist tropes used in a series of fiery sermons from November 2023. In the speeches, Mr Haddad - who is also known as William Haddad or Abu Ousayd - variously referred to Jewish people as "vile", "treacherous", "murderous" and "mischievous". Justice Angus Stewart found the sermons contained "perverse generalisations" against Jewish people and included racist, anti-Semitic tropes. The judge on Thursday ordered the preacher "pin" or "feature" corrective notices describing the court's findings to the centre's website and social media pages on Facebook, Rumble, Instagram and Soundcloud. He has been given 21 days to comply with the order and the posts had not been made as of Thursday afternoon. Mr Haddad objected to prominently displaying the notices, saying this would go beyond what was ordinarily ordered by the courts. Pinning the posts would be tantamount to promoting or advertising the findings, he said. Justice Stewart ordered the notices to be pinned for 30 days, saying the requirement was not unduly burdensome and would stop them disappearing from view. "It will prevent them from being deliberately buried by way of successive further posts," the judge wrote. Promoting the notices was part of their objective, he said. "The respondents promoted the unlawful lectures and it is not disproportionate to require them to promote the corrective notice in the relatively constrained manner described above as an appropriate form of redress," he wrote in his judgment. The notice itself highlights the "unlawful behaviour based on racial hatred" of Mr Haddad and the centre. The three lectures - titled "The Jews of Al Medina" and published on video hosting site Rumble - were reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Jewish members of the Australian community, the notice says. The lawsuit was brought by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and deputy president Robert Goot, who claimed the lectures were offensive and could incite violence towards Jewish people. The pair said they were vindicated by Justice Stewart's findings, saying no community in Australia should be dehumanised. "Freedom of expression should not be abused by the promotion of hateful anti-Semitism and those who wish to do so should know that conduct shouldn't be tolerated by us," Mr Goot told reporters after the judgment. The cleric has been ordered to remove the lectures and not to repeat similar racist statements about Jewish people in public. He will also have to pay the legal bill for Mr Wertheim and Mr Goot, which is estimated to be in the six figures. Mr Haddad's speeches were delivered after Hamas, designated by Australia as a terrorist group, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The attack sparked Israeli retaliation that has left Gaza in turmoil and tens of thousands of civilians dead.
West Australian
20 hours ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Islamist preacher unable to 'bury' anti-Semitism ruling
An Islamist preacher who used harmful racial stereotypes about Jewish people in sermons will be forced to tell the world of his anti-Semitism through prominent online posts. Sydney-based Al Madina Dawah Centre cleric Wissam Haddad was ordered by the Federal Court earlier in July not to repeat the perverse and racist tropes used in a series of fiery sermons from November 2023. In the speeches, Mr Haddad - who is also known as William Haddad or Abu Ousayd - variously referred to Jewish people as "vile", "treacherous", "murderous" and "mischievous". Justice Angus Stewart found the sermons contained "perverse generalisations" against Jewish people and included racist, anti-Semitic tropes. The judge on Thursday ordered the preacher "pin" or "feature" corrective notices describing the court's findings to the centre's website and social media pages on Facebook, Rumble, Instagram and Soundcloud. He has been given 21 days to comply with the order and the posts had not been made as of Thursday afternoon. Mr Haddad objected to prominently displaying the notices, saying this would go beyond what was ordinarily ordered by the courts. Pinning the posts would be tantamount to promoting or advertising the findings, he said. Justice Stewart ordered the notices to be pinned for 30 days, saying the requirement was not unduly burdensome and would stop them disappearing from view. "It will prevent them from being deliberately buried by way of successive further posts," the judge wrote. Promoting the notices was part of their objective, he said. "The respondents promoted the unlawful lectures and it is not disproportionate to require them to promote the corrective notice in the relatively constrained manner described above as an appropriate form of redress," he wrote in his judgment. The notice itself highlights the "unlawful behaviour based on racial hatred" of Mr Haddad and the centre. The three lectures - titled "The Jews of Al Medina" and published on video hosting site Rumble - were reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Jewish members of the Australian community, the notice says. The lawsuit was brought by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim and deputy president Robert Goot, who claimed the lectures were offensive and could incite violence towards Jewish people. The pair said they were vindicated by Justice Stewart's findings, saying no community in Australia should be dehumanised. "Freedom of expression should not be abused by the promotion of hateful anti-Semitism and those who wish to do so should know that conduct shouldn't be tolerated by us," Mr Goot told reporters after the judgment. The cleric has been ordered to remove the lectures and not to repeat similar racist statements about Jewish people in public. He will also have to pay the legal bill for Mr Wertheim and Mr Goot, which is estimated to be in the six figures. Mr Haddad's speeches were delivered after Hamas, designated by Australia as a terrorist group, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The attack sparked Israeli retaliation that has left Gaza in turmoil and tens of thousands of civilians dead.
