Georgie Purcell facing antisemitic and misogynistic abuse due to having Jewish partner, commission hears
Georgie Purcell facing antisemitic and misogynistic abuse due to having Jewish partner, commission hears
Georgie Purcell facing antisemitic and misogynistic - The royal commission investigating antisemitism and social cohesion has revealed a surge in hostile commentary directed at individuals who provide testimony about the issue, with several witnesses experiencing both antisemitic and misogynistic attacks. Among them is Labor MP Josh Burns, who recounted how his partner, Georgie Purcell, a Victorian Animal Justice MP, has become a target of abuse because of her association with him. Burns highlighted that while he is Jewish, Purcell is not, yet she faces amplified scrutiny due to the dual nature of the attacks.
During the inquiry, Burns shared examples of the abuse directed at him, including being labeled a “genocidal Zionist” and the claim that an attack on his office was an inside job. He described the intensity of the harassment, noting that his office receives thousands of threatening messages daily. However, the abuse directed at Purcell takes a different form, often focusing on her relationship with him. One example included a comment that read: “You root a Zionist. You can’t be trusted.”
“The language in the examples reveals how antisemitic abuse directed at Georgie is compounded by misogynistic, often violence and sexualised commentary – directed at her because she is a woman,” Burns wrote in his submission.
Meanwhile, data analysis presented to the commission illustrated how factual reports are frequently transformed into conspiracy theories online. This phenomenon was evident following the Bondi terror attack, where antisemitism saw a noticeable increase, but anti-Muslim hate experienced a “huge spike” in volume. The commission is examining the spread of antisemitic material and other forms of hateful speech in both digital and traditional media, revealing the role of social platforms in amplifying these messages.
Burns also highlighted the impact of the abuse on his staff, noting that his office was vandalised and that over 1,000 phone calls and 10,000 social media messages were received. He described the emotional toll of witnessing someone he loves endure such treatment, stating, “Probably one of the hardest things” was seeing his partner targeted for being linked to him. He called for improved measures under the Online Safety Act, suggesting that platforms like Instagram could better identify and address hate speech. “Instagram knows when I was looking for a new high chair for my six-month-old. They can do a better job of making it a bit safer online,” he said.
Systematic targeting and online hate campaigns
Tahli Blicblau, CEO of the Dor Foundation, which focuses on combating antisemitism and hate, testified that individuals who provided evidence about their experiences with antisemitism were “subjected to more of it.” She explained that these witnesses faced relentless online attacks, often at a high volume across social media platforms. This pattern was consistent whether the witnesses were members of the Jewish community or chose to testify under a pseudonym.
“They were targeted and abused online, at volume and across social media platforms,” Blicblau said.
She provided 275 examples of such posts, indicating that these are merely a fraction of “many, many hundreds more” that included explicit calls for violence, dehumanizing language, degrading remarks, admiration for Hitler, Holocaust glorification, and conspiracy theories about witnesses being crisis actors. The Dor Foundation’s analysis underlined how antisemitic abuse is often intertwined with misogyny, particularly when directed at women.
Post-event hate spikes and social media dynamics
Research presented to the commission revealed that prior to the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel, the level of antisemitic content on X (formerly Twitter) was relatively low. However, post-attack, the volume of hate speech targeting Jews rose significantly, maintaining an elevated presence on the platform. The study also found that both anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate spikes after major events, with the latter often reaching more extreme levels. For instance, Dr. Matteo Vergani, associate professor from Deakin University’s Tackling Hate Lab, noted that while antisemitism saw a minor uptick following the Bondi terror attack, anti-Muslim hate experienced a substantial surge in online volume.
“Following the Bondi terror attack, there was a ‘small spike in the anti-Jewish hate’, but it represented a huge spike in volume of anti-Muslim hate,” Vergani told the inquiry.
Vergani’s team discovered that real-world incidents reported in the media often become the catalyst for online hate campaigns. “So online hate is triggered by offline incidents,” he said. This trend suggests that social media platforms serve as amplification tools, turning isolated events into widespread prejudice. The research further indicated that there should be cost-effective strategies to track and intervene in hate speech without resorting to heavy-handed censorship.
Another key finding from the inquiry was how the online environment fosters the rapid spread of conspiracy theories. The data showed that factual reports can quickly be distorted, leading to the proliferation of misinformation. This dynamic was particularly evident after the Bondi attack, where antisemitic content increased, but anti-Muslim hate reached an even higher level. The commission is now seeking ways to address this imbalance, ensuring that both communities are protected from the corrosive effects of online hate.
Burns’ testimony also underscored the intersection of antisemitism and misogyny in public discourse. He explained that the abuse directed at Purcell often includes sexualised