Wollongong mayor slammed for speech
Wollongong mayor Gordon Bradbery has been slammed by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBD) for his speech at a pro-Palestinian rally.
Wollongong mayor Gordon Bradbery has been slammed by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBD) for his speech at a pro-Palestinian rally in Wollongong last Saturday, in which he said, “I know why Hamas did what they did.”
Speaking to 500 people at that rally, Bradbery – who has been the city’s mayor since 2011 – said Hamas’s October 7 massacre of Israelis “didn’t happen in a vacuum”, adding, “when you treat people like animals, you push them in a confined space, you get that reaction – you have to fight your way out”.
In a statement slamming Bradbery, the JBD said, “Rather than unequivocally condemning a listed terrorist organisation, the mayor sought to justify the massacre of more than 1300 Israelis, many of whom were subjected to unspeakable atrocities.
“He is silent about the abduction of [more than] 210 human beings by the Hamas terror regime, but elects to be outraged about the Opera House being lit up in blue and white.
“The mayor’s remarks are reprehensible. There can be no justification for the savagery of Hamas.”
Commenting on JBD’s Facebook page, Sandra Tilyard wrote that Bradbery’s speech was “appalling and disgusting”, and that the mayor “does not represent me as a resident of Wollongong”.
In May 2021, according to an Illawarra Mercury article, Bradbery spoke at another pro-Palestinian rally, in which he described Israel’s “actions against the Palestinian people as nothing more than just a holocaust”.
When contacted by The AJN, Bradbery defended his speech, claiming it was “not in any way a declaration of support for Hamas”.
“I made it very clear at the event on Saturday that I do not condone the pain and suffering inflicted on Israeli citizens.
“I do not support the actions of Hamas. My comment was to address the precursors of terrorism, and free us from this cycle of revenge and marginalisation.”
On October 3, Bradbery attended the launch of Courage to Care’s exhibition at Wollongong Art Gallery, which runs until November 26.
Courage to Care NSW CEO Ed St John told The AJN he plans to speak to Bradbery, in private, about the content of his speech.
“Just as Courage to Care condemns the atrocities of the Holocaust, we condemn the atrocious acts of terrorism committed by Hamas,” St John said.
“We harness the power of education to fight the evil of antisemitism and discrimination, and we’re proud to be bringing our exhibition and school programs to Wollongong, even in these difficult times.”
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