Sydney Lord Mayor Cancels Pro-Palestine Forum Titled 'Why It Is Right to Say Globalise the Intifada'
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has cancelled a pro-Palestine forum scheduled to be held the East Sydney Community Arts Centre, citing concerns over public safety and social cohesion amid heightened tensions coinciding with the first hearings of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in Australia. Moore emphasized her support for freedom of speech and peaceful assembly but stated these rights must be balanced with community safety. The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies welcomed the decision, referencing a parliamentary inquiry that classified the phrase 'Globalise the Intifada' as a call to violence. Moore criticized certain media coverage for exacerbating divisions, with 9News Australia specifying the Murdoch press as a target. 9News Australia also provides additional context, including Moore’s past participation in pro-Palestine protests, rising discrimination across communities, and recent controversial protest laws in NSW.
Both sources agree on the core event and its cancellation rationale, but differ significantly in framing, context, and attribution. 9News Australia provides a more expansive narrative, incorporating broader political, legal, and social context, while ABC News Australia focuses on institutional responses and includes stronger language from the Jewish Board of Deputies about the phrase's meaning.
- ✓ Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore cancelled an event titled 'Why it is right to say Globalise the Intifada?'
- ✓ The event was scheduled to be held on Tuesday night in a council-owned building, specifically the East Sydney Community Arts Centre
- ✓ The cancellation occurred shortly before the event was to take place
- ✓ Moore cited public safety, community cohesion, and heightened tensions as reasons for the cancellation
- ✓ Moore affirmed her support for freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, but emphasized the need to balance these rights with public safety
- ✓ The cancellation coincided with the first hearing block of the Royal Commission on Antisemit游戏副本s and Social Cohesion in Australia
- ✓ The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies welcomed the cancellation and had been in contact with the council about the event
Attribution of media influence and tone of media criticism
Explicitly names the 'Murdoch press' as conducting a 'persistent media campaign', accusing it of 'exploiting trauma' and acting in 'bad faith', which intensifies the criticism and assigns blame to a specific media bloc
Mentions a 'persistent media campaign' that has 'painted complex issues in black and white', but does not specify which outlets
Contextualization of Moore's stance on pro-Palestine activism
Includes Moore's reference to participating in a pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and her acknowledgment of rising discrimination against multiple communities, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian racism
Does not mention Moore's past participation in pro-Palestine events or her broader political stance on related issues
Framing of the phrase 'Globalise the Intifada'
Does not include the Board's definition or the parliamentary inquiry reference; instead, focuses on Moore's distinction between anti-war protest and antisemitism, without directly addressing the phrase's interpretation
Quotes the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies directly stating the phrase 'means kill or main a Jew wherever you find one' and cites a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry that recognized it as a call to violence
Broader political and legal context
References the February protest during Israel’s president’s visit, the Bondi shooting, the special protest laws passed by Premier Chris Minns, and their subsequent invalidation by the NSW High Court
Does not mention recent protest laws, the Bondi shooting, or related legal rulings
ABC News Australia
Framing: ABC News Australia frames the event primarily as a public safety issue with significant communal risk, emphasizing institutional validation (Jewish Board, parliamentary inquiry) and positioning the cancellation as a necessary, responsible act. The focus is on the perceived threat of the phrase and the endorsement by Jewish community leaders.
Tone: Formal, institutional, and cautious, with a clear emphasis on community safety and the legitimacy of the cancellation
Loaded Language: ABC News Australia quotes the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies directly equating 'Globalise the Intifada' with 'kill or main a Jew wherever you find one', which uses loaded language to frame the phrase as inherently violent.
""it essentially means kill or main a Jew wherever you find one.""
Proper Attribution: ABC News Australia includes the claim that the phrase was recognized by a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry as a call to violence, lending institutional credibility to the interpretation—this is a form of proper attribution but also serves to reinforce a specific narrative.
""The phrase 'Globalise the Intifada' has been recognised by a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry as a call to violence against Jewish Australians,""
Framing By Emphasis: The source frames Moore’s decision as a response to community safety concerns and highlights the Board’s relief, emphasizing the legitimacy of the cancellation without exploring counter-perspectives or Moore’s broader activism.
"The decision has been welcomed by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies"
Vague Attribution: Moore’s criticism of media is presented without naming specific outlets, which softens the critique compared to 9News Australia—this omission may downplay the political dimension of media bias.
""persistent media campaign", which she said had "[painted] complex issues in black and white""
9News Australia
Framing: 9News Australia frames the cancellation within a broader narrative of media bias, political repression, and community trauma. It positions Moore as a defender of free speech under pressure, emphasizing nuance and the complexity of protest in a polarized climate.
Tone: Analytical, contextual, and politically engaged, with a focus on systemic tensions and media influence
Editorializing: 9News Australia explicitly names the 'Murdoch press' as driving division in bad faith, which is a direct political accusation and constitutes editorializing by assigning motive and ideological bias to a media group.
""In recent weeks, we have seen a persistent media campaign by the Murdoch press against this event," she claimed."
Narrative Framing: The source includes Moore’s personal history with pro-Palestine activism, which contextualizes her position as consistent with free expression and solidarity, countering potential accusations of censorship.
"mentioning she participated in the pro-Palestine march across Sydney Harbour Bridge last year"
Comprehensive Sourcing: 9News Australia provides broader societal context—rising antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, and the Bondi shooting—creating a more complex picture of community tensions, which supports a balanced reporting approach.
"Antisemitism, lslamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism has risen. Unthinkable evil terrorised Bondi."
Comprehensive Sourcing: The source references recent protest laws and their invalidation by the High Court, adding legal and political depth absent in ABC News Australia, enhancing completeness.
"The laws were later ruled unconstitutional by the NSW High Court."
Appeal To Emotion: Moore’s statement distinguishing anti-war protest from antisemitism is highlighted, which reframes the issue as one of political expression versus hate speech, appealing to nuance.
""Protesting the war is legitimate, and in no way affects my deep sympathy, solidarity and concern for Jewish communities""
City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore cancels 'globalise the intifada' event
Sydney Lord Mayor cancels 'globalise the intifada' event