‘Sexy queers and culty cyclists’: Grace Tame’s wild response to Pauline Hanson’s call to strip her of Australia Day honours
Grace Tame has issued a sharp response to Pauline Hanson calling for her Australian of the Year honour to be revoked after the activist led protesters in an antisemitic chant.
Grace Tame has delivered a blunt Instagram response to Pauline Hanson after the One Nation leader called for her to be stripped of her Australian of the Year honours over an antisemitic chant.
Ms Tame led crowds in chanting “From Gadigal to Gaza, globalise the intifada” during a protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Sydney on Monday.
In response, the One Nation leader demanded the National Australia Day Council “revoke” her Australian of the Year award for “bringing both the award and this nation into disrepute”.
Her strong stance against the hateful comments stood in contrast to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who failed to condemn Ms Tame’s actions.
Ms Hanson said the activist’s support for a global intifada should be a “terrifying trigger” for ASIO to investigate her associations.
It sparked an immediate response from Ms Tame who mocked the One Nation leader’s demand.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese poses for a photo with Grace Tame back in 2021. The Prime Minister has still not commented on the controversy surrounding Ms Tame. Picture: X/Anthony Albanese account
“I can tell you now Pauline, I hang out with a bunch of neurosicy sexy queers and culty cyclists,” she wrote.
Ms Tame’s chant triggered fierce political backlash, with critics arguing the phrase was inflammatory and deeply distressing for Jewish Australians.
The protests unfolded as members of the Jewish community attended events linked to President Herzog’s visit and mourned victims of the Bondi terror attack.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said “globalise the intifada” represented a “violent terrorist uprising” just six weeks after the Bondi Beach terror attack took 15 lives.
The Prime Minister has failed to comment on the issue but said he was “devasted” by violent scenes during protests in Sydney’s CBD.
Mr Albanese was quick to be spotted with Ms Tame when he was opposition leader and the activist was awarded Australian of the Year.
But his and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s silence on the latest controversy has stood in stark contrast to One Nation’s stance.
Ms Hanson said the chant was a “war cry” for radical Islam.
“Grace Tame remains an angry young lady whose rise to prominence went to her head,” she said.
“Her support of a global intifada should be a terrifying trigger for ASIO and other police agencies to investigate who she’s hanging out with,” Ms Hanson said.
“Globalise the Intifada is a war cry for those who support radical islam. Suicide bombers were a defining and central feature of the Second Intifada that targeted Israeli civilian areas and was described as a campaign of violence.”
Newly recruited One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce joined his leader’s calls and told Sky News Ms Tame was essentially demanding the “removal of Jewish people” from Israel.
“That is completely unacceptable. This person is outside the pale and although I am sorry about the life she lived, she is still no different from anyone else,” Mr Joyce said.
When asked if she should be stripped of her award, Mr Joyce said: “Yes, 100 per cent”.
“You have a responsibility when given an honour by the Australian people to conduct yourself in a way that inspires the harmonious nature of Australia.”
Nationals leader David Littleproud condemned antisemitic chants more broadly but stopped short of directly criticising Ms Tame.
Liberal MP Julian Leeser labelled the slogan “appalling” and urged stronger laws against antisemitic hate speech.
Nationals deputy leader Kevin Hogan said authorities and police needed to examine the incident closely.
“People may think that the protest they went to is okay, or chanting that slogan is okay if those people themselves don’t have certain opinions,” he said.
“But Islamic extremists in this country…when they see that, they feel validated in the violence that they want to commit against certain people and Jewish people.
“Whoever goes to those protests or chants those slogans needs to remember that Islamic extremists are watching and listening to you and they will take permission to do things because of that.”
Despite mounting political pressure, the National Australia Day Council has not yet indicated whether it will review Ms Tame’s Australian of the Year honour.
Ms Tame has not issued any formal statement beyond her Instagram response, which quickly circulated online and drew strong reactions from supporters and critics alike.
