Foreign Minister Penny Wong says local protests over the war in Gaza that have involved smashing office windows are violent and not acceptable in Australia.
Windows were smashed at the US consulate in Melbourne overnight and red paint thrown at the electorate offices of federal and state Labor MPs including Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the death and destruction in Rafah was “horrific”.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“The first thing I’d say is, in this country, workers have a right to be safe and to feel safe workers everywhere. And what we have seen are protests which go beyond peaceful protests,” Wong said at a press conference in Adelaide this morning.
“We have a right to peaceful protest in this country. But we should rightly condemn protests which are violent, and which are hateful and aggressive.”
“I understand, and I share the depth of concern, the depth of feeling, that Australians have about what is occurring in Gaza and what is occurring in Rafah. And I have made on behalf of this country very strong statements, as has the prime minister. We have said to Israel – do not go down this path…
“But the depth of the feelings that people have does not justify, in this country, a resort to violent protest.”
Wong accused the Greens of being a part of the protests, and called on its leader Adam Bandt to “condemn the sort of violence we have seen, including the smashing of windows, that’s not acceptable in this country”.
Pressed on whether the protests were violent, Wong said: “I think if you speak to many workers who are being confronted with what they have seen over a long period of time, including the occupation of offices and the destruction of property. I think people have felt unsafe, and I think all workers have a right to feel safe.”
“We have a right to peaceful protest and people should exercise that responsibly,” she said.
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