Sydney Lord Mayor cancels 'Globalise the Intifada' forum amid controversy
Consensus Summary
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore cancelled a pro-Palestine forum titled 'Why it is right to say Globalise the Intifada?' scheduled for Tuesday night at the East Sydney Community Arts Centre, a council-owned venue. The decision came after the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies urged the council to block the event, citing concerns it would 'endanger public safety' and 'undermine social cohesion'. Moore justified the cancellation by citing heightened tensions and the timing of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism hearings, emphasizing the need to prevent events from contributing to 'hostility and fear'. Both sources agree the event was organized by the Stop The War On Palestine group and that the cancellation was welcomed by the Jewish community. However, the ABC notes a specific NSW Parliamentary Inquiry linking the phrase to calls for violence, while the Guardian focuses on broader media criticism from Moore.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore cancelled an event titled 'Why it is right to say Globalise the Intifada?' scheduled for Tuesday night in a council-owned building (East Sydney Community Arts Centre).
- The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies welcomed the cancellation, stating it had been 'engaging intensively with the council' about the event.
- Moore cited 'heightened anxiety and division' and the timing of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion hearings as reasons for the cancellation.
- The event was organized by the Stop The War On Palestine group.
- Moore stated she 'long supported the principles of peaceful assembly, protest and freedom of speech' but emphasized balancing these with 'public safety and respect for all members of our diverse community'.
- The cancellation occurred on Monday night (May 4, 2026), with the event originally scheduled for Tuesday night.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Moore described a 'persistent media campaign' that '[painted] complex issues in black and white' and 'driven a discourse of division'.
- The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies stated the phrase 'Globalise the Intifada' was recognized by a 'NSW Parliamentary Inquiry as a call to violence against Jewish Australians' and 'essentially means kill or main a Jew wherever you find one'.
- Moore mentioned the decision was made 'coinciding with the week of the first hearing block of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in Australia'.
- Moore criticized 'Rupert Murdoch-owned newspapers' for 'exploiting trauma' and 'demanding our communities take sides' in their coverage.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The ABC states the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies said the phrase 'Globalise the Intifada' was recognized by a 'NSW Parliamentary Inquiry', while the Guardian does not mention this specific inquiry.
Source Articles
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore cancels 'globalise the intifada' forum
The event's cancellation is welcomed by groups representing the Jewish community in New South Wales.
Sydney’s mayor cancels ‘globalise the intifada’ forum set for council building
Clover Moore says events must not ‘contribute to fear’ but takes a swipe at Murdoch press for ‘bad faith’ campaign Sydney’s mayor has cancelled a pro-Palestine meeting due to be held in a council building on Tuesday night. The Stop The War On Palestine group had planned to hold a “Globalise the Intifada” forum at the East Sydney Community Arts Centre on Tuesday night. Continue reading...