Peter Dutton accused of ‘throwing kerosene on fire’ as pro-Hezbollah protest fallout continues

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has accused Peter Dutton of further threatening already fragile social cohesion and “throwing more kerosene on the fire”, after his comments on weekend protests.

At least six people were referred to the Australian Federal Police and could face prosecution following rallies in Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday, where some protesters waved Hezbollah flags and held photos glorifying slain terrorist leader Hassan Nasrallah.

It’s since been revealed some mosques in Sydney have also held vigils mourning Nasrallah, who was killed by an Israeli strike in Beirut.

Mr Burke has lambasted those grieving for Nasrallah, saying there were “plenty of people to mourn” in the ongoing Middle East conflict, but “he’s not one of them”.

The legality of waving the flags of Hezbollah — a designated terrorist organisation — has also become the point of political contention this week, after the AFP confirmed the “mere display” of the flags did not constitute an offence.

Under new counter-terrorism laws, established last year but yet to be tested in court, an individual found guilty of displaying terrorist symbols who has also met specific thresholds faces up to 12 months behind bars.

While Mr Burke said there were “certainly laws” that speak to the illegality of waving a Hezbollah flag, the Coalition has used the confusion around the laws to demand stronger action.

Mr Dutton on Tuesday renewed his calls for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to recall Parliament to strengthen those laws, to give the AFP powers to arrest anyone promoting the Hezbollah symbol.

He said if Mr Albanese did not reform the legislation, it would prove both his and his Government’s “weakness”.

“I believe that there are provisions within the existing law. If there’s not, the prime minister should recall parliament and deal with whatever deficiency there is in the law,” he told the Nine Network.

It is not suggested anyone involved in the protest will or should be charged.

Mr Dutton has also demanded any pro-Hezbollah protester carrying a visa be immediately deported. It’s not been confirmed whether that is true, but the Government has said it will take strong action if so.

Speaking at a later press conference, Mr Dutton said the Government should make it “very clear” to the AFP commissioner and Director-General of ASIO that “we don’t have any tolerance of this sort of glorification of a terrorist leader”.

Denying he was seeking to undermine their work, Mr Dutton said the AFP did an “outstanding job” but took their lead ultimately from the Prime Minister.

Mr Burke had earlier slammed Mr Dutton for politicising the protests, accusing him of always being more concerned about the “Middle East, but never about middle Australia”.

“The moment it’s about the Middle East, the moment it’s about something on the other side of the world Peter Dutton wants to talk about that and nothing else and suddenly wants to say, ‘let’s recall the parliament’,” he told ABC Radio.

“With Peter Dutton, it remains the case that no matter how many times our security agencies say we need to lower the temperature in Australia, he wants to raise the temperature every single time.

“He doesn’t want to recall parliament because he wants to change laws that he supported a year ago, he wants to recall parliament because he wants to throw more kerosene on the fire and get people angrier with each other and say more outrageous things in the parliament. That’s what it’s about. It’s nothing to do with Australia.”