Media release: Labor's Hate Laws in action targeting… an anti-fascist bar
Media release: Labor's Hate Laws in action targeting… an anti-fascist bar | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Media release: Labor's Hate Laws in action targeting… an anti-fascist bar 2026-02-19 The Greens strongly condemn the actions of ACT Policing in raiding Dissent Bar, a local Canberra bar, and removing anti-fascist posters and artwork, in what appears to be an alarming consequence of Labor’s rushed Federal hate speech laws.
At a time when our community should feel confident that laws are being applied carefully and proportionately, this heavy-handed response raises serious concerns about freedom of expression and the chilling impacts of hastily drafted reforms. Greens Senator and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge said: “Labor’s first scalp under their new hate laws isn’t a Nazi group, it’s a Canberra bar with an anti-fascist poster.
“Pauline Hanson can spend decades demonising Muslims in the Senate and the media but stick ‘punch a Nazi’ on your wall in Canberra and the AFP comes knocking. “Laws rushed through parliament to fight antisemitism are now being used to attack people fighting fascism. “These laws were never seriously about hate, they have always been about shutting down dissent.
“The Greens warned these laws would be weaponised against people who use their conscience to speak out for humanity. It took barely a month to be proven right. Andrew Braddock, ACT Greens spokesperson for Anti-Racism and Democracy and Integrity said: “The ACT Greens are deeply concerned that a local Canberra bar appears to have become the first target of the Albanese Government’s rushed and harmful hate speech legislation.
“Art has always played a vital role in protest and political expression. ACT hate speech laws explicitly provide space for artistic and satirical expression. However, the new federal hate speech provisions override aspects of our territory framework, which appears to be the grounds on which police have taken this action.
“This situation highlights the real-world consequences of poorly considered, fast-tracked legislation, concerns that our Federal Greens colleagues consistently raised during the parliamentary debate. “Hate speech laws are too important to be rushed. We must draw a clear and careful distinction between genuine hate speech and satire or political commentary.
If we fail to do so, we risk both allowing serious offenders to evade accountability and unfairly penalising legitimate artistic and political expression. Facebook for the Australian Greens YouTube for the Australian Greens X for the Australian Greens Instagram for the Australian Greens Bluesky for the Australian Greens Privacy Members website Your safety Contact us Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action In your language 2025 policy platform Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Federal portfolios Federal media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Upcoming events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Green Magazine All news Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Members website State/territory parties Contact us The Greens acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
We acknowledge that these lands were stolen and sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. The Australian Greens Authorised by Gemmia Burden & Caroline Atkinson, The Greens, 1 Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Gungahlin, 2912 Site & copyright information Privacy Your Safety View this site in High Contrast mode We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
Find out more about how we use cookies and how you can avoid trackers online. Learn more No, thanks OK