The Muslim cleric, Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd, has been ordered by the Federal Court in Australia to remove several speeches he made online that were found to be “fundamentally racist and antisemitic.” The court’s ruling comes after Haddad was successfully sued by two senior members of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) over lectures he gave at the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown in November 2023, in which he spoke negatively about Jewish people.
Justice Stewart found that Haddad breached section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which prohibits any kind of behavior that is considered to be racially discriminatory. Haddad’s speeches were deemed to convey malicious impugnations about Jewish people that were likely to insult, humiliate, and intimidate Jews in Australia.
The court heard that Haddad described Jewish people in his speeches as “mischievous,” “treacherous,” and “vile.” While Haddad argued that his lectures related to historical texts and were educational, the complainants contended that the language he used was dehumanizing and provocative. The court also considered the context of the speeches, noting the increased vulnerability of Jews in Australia during the time of heightened tensions due to the conflict in Gaza.
Wertheim, one of the claimants, testified regarding the dehumanizing effect of Haddad’s speeches, stating that Jews would perceive the descriptions as insulting. Justice Stewart concluded that criticism of Israel or its military actions is not inherently antisemitic. The court did not accept Haddad’s argument that 18C infringes upon the freedom of political discourse or that it contravenes laws protecting religious freedom.
The court has ordered Haddad to remove the speeches from the internet and to refrain from making similar speeches in the future. The claimants did not seek damages and the court has ruled that Haddad must pay the claimants’ costs.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/01/wissam-haddad-sydney-muslim-cleric-racist-anti-semitic-online-lectures-federal-court-ntwnfb
