Several media organizations have recently been targeted, adding to the ongoing series of events where these organizations have come under attack. One such incident involved the vandalization of ABC’s Melbourne office with red paint amid disagreement over coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The main window of the national broadcaster’s office in Southbank was marked with white paint displaying the words, “Tell the truth about Palestine.” Police have initiated an investigation into the “criminal damage incident.” A spokesperson for the ABC confirmed that there were no injuries from the incident. A previous protest on Dec. 20 involved the placement of 40 portraits of Palestinian journalists who lost their lives in the conflict on the doors and windows of the ABC office.
In a similar incident, activists blocked the entrance to Nine’s television and newspaper masthead offices. Free Palestine Melbourne organized a protest at The Age headquarters entrance in Docklands, blocking the entrance while wearing press vests and helmets in order to “protest the Australian media silence on journalist deaths in Gaza.” The group stated that journalists have a duty to report the truth but continue to deliver a biased, Orientalist perspective that neglects oppressed Palestinians. The incident arose after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel resulting in 1,200 deaths and up to 200 people being taken hostage, with Israel’s military response in Gaza leading to around 20,000 deaths, according to the UN.
Meanwhile, ABC Sydney’s breakfast radio presenter Antoinette Lattouf is considering her legal options after she was dismissed for sharing pro-Palestinian content on her social media account. Ms. Lattouf’s actions were brought into question after allegations that pro-Palestine protesters chanted “gas the Jews” at a rally near the Sydney Opera House. A Jewish woman expressed her concerns to ABC Managing Director David Anderson, asserting that Ms. Lattouf demonstrated bias by disputing the authenticity of the chants. Ms. Lattouf declared that she was “currently considering her legal options” and believed she was terminated unlawfully. She added that the termination is “not a win for journalism or critical, fair thinking” and expressed her disappointment with the ABC’s decision.