As thousands marched in protest for the Palestinian cause on the Sydney Harbour Bridge this weekend, questions of Australians’ right to protest are once again in the spotlight. It comes as the government seeks to refine its messaging around recognising Palestine.
The weekend’s mass protest is the culmination of years of building pressure. Since the 2023 October attacks, Australian artists have navigated backlash and censorship for backing the Palestinian cause.
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The fallout from actors’ Palestine protests
In November 2023, three actors in Sydney Theatre Company’s (STC) production of The Seagull wore Palestinian keffiyeh headdresses during the curtain call to signal solidarity with Palestinians. The gesture sparked intense reaction.
The following Wednesday night’s performance was cancelled after the company issued a statement apologising for the actors’ actions. In its apology, the STC acknowledged that the protest ‘hurt many in our community’ and said that while it supports individual freedom of expression, ‘the right to free speech does not supersede our responsibility to create safe workplaces and theatres’.
Long‑time board member Judi Hausmann resigned, expressing disappointment that the company had not immediately denounced the protest.
The incident illustrates how arts organisations grapple with political censorship, especially in the Israeli and Palestinian causes. On one hand, artists view the stage as a platform for solidarity and political expression; on the other, companies face pressure from donors, board members and segments of the audience to remain ‘neutral’.
The STC statement emphasised audience expectations: patrons come to experience the content of the play ‘and that play only’. Yet union representatives from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) defended the actors’ right to express political opinions and said they would support members facing disciplinary action.
In the days immediately following the protest, Wesley Enoch, recently appointed as the Chair of the Australia Council, told ArtsHub the expectation that artists would be without political opinions was ‘naive’.
Readers and Writers Against the Genocide voice support for Palestinian cause
Beyond the stage, Australia’s literary community has also mobilised. In early 2025, a group of authors, publishers and book lovers formed Readers and Writers Against the Genocide (RWAG), a campaign that evolved from the 2024 ‘Summer Reading for MPs’ initiative that delivered books to federal politicians to encourage nuanced debate on the Middle East.
RWAG members believe in the power of literature to shift hearts and minds; they describe themselves as ‘book lovers who believe in a powerful role for literature to raise awareness and enable others to speak up and be visible with their opposition to genocide’.
In July 2025 RWAG launched an online store selling T‑shirts and tote bags emblazoned with their logo and poems by Australian writers Sara M Saleh, Omar Sakr and Evelyn Araluen. The merchandise proved popular: more than 1,500 items were sold and more than A$6,000 was donated to Palestinian‑focused charities, including Olive Kids, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network and Palestine Australia Relief and Action.
In contrast to other art forms, Palestianian protest and advocacy has been more readily accepted in the publishing industry. Part of this is timing: RWAG’s advocacy comes in 2025 after several years of ongoing international violence. But another part is the expectation and permissions that are bestowed upon different art forms.
Palestinian protests reflect broader patterns of silencing
The controversy at the STC and the activism of RWAG are part of a wider pattern of Palestinian protests in the arts. Actors face different pressures to writers, even in 2025. In an ABC interview, Palestinian‑Australian actor Hazem Shammas expressed frustration at creating art during a time of crisis.
Preparing to play the title role in Bell Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, he said he feels ‘the futility of it more and more’ and that making theatre while ‘our arts community is silenced’ troubles him.
Shammas noted that performances and awards have been cancelled or rescinded when artists reference the conflict in Gaza; examples include artist Khaled Sabsabi being temporarily dropped from representing Australia at the Venice Biennale and pianist Jayson Gillham suing the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra after cancelled performances.
Shammas described living in a ‘perpetual state of fear’ where artists worry about losing work by speaking out. For him, playing Coriolanus, a character who advocates brutal policies, feels eerie when real‑world leaders commit ‘horrific abuses of power’. He said being a Palestinian playing a role that talks about ‘wiping people out’ forces him to confront parallels with current events.
Palestinian protests and arts censorship: balancing freedom and responsibility
For arts organisations, managing Palestinian protests means balancing support for freedom of expression with concerns about audience safety and corporate relations.
Policies around political expression vary. Some organisations allow statements that align with their mission; others prohibit any unauthorised political gestures on stage. Many adopt a case-by-case approach, considering the context of the work and the potential impact on both audiences and staff.
In Australia, there is no legal prohibition on artists expressing political views, but funding bodies and boards can influence decisions.
Artistic censorship requires open dialogue between artists, audiences and administrators. Arts organisations could engage stakeholders prior to opening nights, explain why artists wish to express solidarity and offer forums for discussion. Transparent communication may reduce the shock factor that fuels backlash. It may speak to part of art’s value in the world: to operate as a political instrument.
At the same time, artists like Shammas and members of RWAG urge colleagues to continue creating and speaking out despite fear. Shammas told ABC that he does not intend to stop working in the arts because it defines him.
He finds hope in community solidarity and mutual support within the arts world. RWAG’s success in selling merchandise and donating to Palestinian‑focused organisations demonstrates that creative activism can offer tangible support to those affected by the conflict.
For audiences, the controversy is a reminder that theatre and literature are not just entertainment; they are living art forms that respond to social and political realities.
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