Palestinian Australian assaulted and abused on Sydney train ‘shocked’ police charged assailant with assault but not hate speech

<p>Exclusive: Assault on Shamikh Badra captured on video and incident labelled ‘unacceptable’ by attorney general, but sole charge highlights issues with hate speech laws</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/nov/28/australia-news-live-storms-hail-queensland-environment-laws-anthony-albanese-labor-greens-sussan-ley-coalition-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Palestinian Australian film-maker Shamikh Badra, who alleged to police <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/sep/02/palestinian-australian-brothers-shamikh-majed-badra-alleged-attack-sydney-train">that he was assaulted and racially abused</a> on a Sydney train following an anti-immigration march, is “shocked” that police charged his assailant with common assault but not hate speech.</p><p>The August assault, which was filmed by Shamikh’s brother, Majed Badra, on his phone and also captured on CCTV, has raised questions about the NSW government’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/21/nsw-hate-speech-and-protest-laws-what-you-need-to-know-ntwnfb">controversial attempt </a>to criminalise racial vilification – and the lack of prosecutions.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/28/palestinian-australian-assaulted-abused-sydney-train-not-hate-speech-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>

Read the full article at: The Guardian World →