Members of the Jewish community and pro-Palestine supporters expressed solidarity with Hash Tayeh, CEO of Burgertory, outside Fawkner Police Station on July 19.
Tayeh faced questioning on charges of “inciting contempt”. The police “evidence” is the chant “All Zionists are terrorists”.
Members of Loud Jew Collective and Jews Against Fascism organised the protest to defend the peace movement’s right to oppose Zionist war crimes.
Sivan Bialobroada, from the Loud Jew Collective, rejected the claim that criticising Israel amounts to antisemitism.
She said the collective stood with Tayeh against ideologies that “harm our communities”. “Fighting for justice is not antisemitic. We must protect our right to oppose Zionism.”
“It is crucial to distinguish between opposing a political ideology and fostering hatred towards a religious or ethnic group,” she said.
The Loud Jew Collective said the crackdown on Palestinians and their allies is “immense”.
“It is not antisemitic to want Israel to cease being an apartheid, settler-colonial, genocidal state,” the Collective said.
“It is not antisemitic to speak the truth about what Israel is doing and what Zionism is … It is not antisemitic to support boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS), and to take actions to encourage the institutions we are part of to participate in BDS actions.
“It is not antisemitic to encourage our fellow humans to join us in standing in solidarity with Palestine.”
Zara Chauvin-Cunningham, from UniMelb for Palestine, said: “Hash has effectively critiqued a system of colonisation, oppression and hate and this is not antisemitic. Zionism, itself, is antisemitic.
“As human beings we cannot justify genocide … nothing can ever justify genocide.”
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Loud Jew Collective also said the police are not paying the same sort of attention to Nazis organising “on our streets”.
“It shows what kind of violence the state really cares about and who they are trying to protect.”
Socialist Alliance Merri-bek Councillor Sue Bolton told the rally the pro-Palestine movement is having an impact because “the police and politicians wouldn’t be harassing Hash Tayeh if it wasn’t”.
Bolton criticised “politicised policing”, saying Tayeh has been “encouraging everyone to be a part of the movement — Muslims, Christians, Jews and the queer community".
“The authorities are using Hash as a test case to test out their conflation of antisemitism with criticism of Israel ... they are going to fail.”
Palestinian organiser and writer Tasnim Mahmoud Sammak pointed to the government hypocrisy of arresting Tayeh, who speaks up against a genocide, and “winning elections by locking up refugees”.
Zach, an anti-Zionist Jewish high school teacher and member of Victorian Socialists also spoke.
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Tayeh told Green Left after the rally he was “fingerprinted and had his mug shot taken”. The police will brief the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will then decide whether to charge him.
Hundreds marched towards the Burgertory restaurant after a rally, as motorists honked in solidarity.
Tayeh expressed his gratitude for the support. “Our fight for justice is relentless. Together we will rise above the hate, lies and oppression and, together, we will make history and Palestine will be free!”