The Costs of Liberty

New South Wales (NSW) Premier Chris Minns faced backlash from his Labor Party and civil rights groups this week, after suggesting that police should ban protests if they are deemed too expensive, underscoring tensions between public safety and civil liberties amid ongoing demonstrations over the Israel-Gaza conflict, the Guardian reported.

On Tuesday, Minns said during a radio interview that authorities should have the power to reject a “public assembly” application – approval of such an application is required to stage a protected protest in NSW – based on the cost of patrolling those rallies.

The state leader said that police at the weekly pro-Palestine rallies have cost taxpayers more than $3 million so far in 2024 and that the money should be used to fight crime.

Minns has also ordered a review of police resources used at pro-Palestine protests, which have been held in the state’s capital of Sydney every weekend since Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza.

His comments quickly sparked widespread criticism, with civil liberties groups warning that financial restrictions on protests could erode democratic freedoms.

The Human Rights Law Center expressed concern that empowering police to deny permits on such grounds could lead to selective enforcement, especially as protests often spotlight controversial issues.

Union leaders, such as Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey also condemned the suggestion, saying that “democracy should not be monetized,” while cautioning that financial barriers would set a dangerous precedent.

The comments stirred division within the Labor Party, with lawmakers warning they posed a “profound threat to civil liberties.”

Meanwhile, Kevin Morton, president of the NSW Police Association, downplayed Minns’ suggestion that the presence of police at protests hindered their response to crime, the Guardian reported separately.

However, Morton acknowledged that protests added strain upon an already understaffed force.

In response, Minns has dismissed accusations that his comments are divisive toward Middle Eastern communities and that he aims to impose fees on pro-Palestinian protesters to cover police costs, the Australian Associated Press added.