Queensland is the first Australian state to ban specific protest slogans and people are already being taken to court over it.
On 5 March 2026, the Queensland Parliament passed a law that bans the phrases “from the river to the sea” and “globalise the intifada.”
The law is called the Fighting Antisemitism and Keeping Guns Out of the Hands of Terrorists and Criminals Amendment Bill.
Anyone found guilty of using the banned phrases in a threatening or offensive way could be fined or sent to prison for up to two years.
Queensland Attorney General Deb Frecklington called the laws a “common sense” response to the Bondi terror attack in which 15 people were killed after two gunmen opened fire on Jewish celebrations.
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Premier David Crisafulli said the laws were about “drawing a clear line” and “stamping out the embers of hatred.”
Liam Parry, a 33 year old member of Students for Palestine was arrested on 11 March that was the same day the law started.
He was at a pro-Palestine protest outside Queensland Parliament in Brisbane. He was charged with one count of saying a banned expression.
Then a stranger case came up. Jim Dowling, a 70 year old Catholic anti-war activist was arrested on 18 March outside Boeing’s Brisbane offices.
He was holding a banner that said “From the river to the sea, Brisbane will be free of Boeing.” Dowling says his protest was about the company’s role in global conflicts, not the Middle East.
Dowling appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 14 April. He stood barefoot in front of magistrate Belinda Merrin because of a personal vow to live simply and own very little.
He told the court he wanted to plead insanity but not for medical reasons. “I don’t think I’m insane. I think the law is insane,” he said.
Both cases have been put off until 29 April 2026.
Both cases go back to court later this month. The results could show how far Australian governments are willing to go in controlling the words people use at protests.
