Crackdown on masks and certain flags at protests

In response to a rise in extremism at protests, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has proposed laws to ban face masks, balaclavas, glue, and chains, targeting flags of listed terrorist organizations and white nationalist groups, with a focus on safe access zones at places of worship to combat anti-Semitism. Police will have the power to search and dismantle protest tools, and wearing face coverings will be illegal to prevent “bad behavior” at mass gatherings. While protecting the right to peaceful protest, the crackdown aims to uphold Victoria’s values of freedom from intimidation and violence, with Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton supporting the measures in light of recent events.

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