The construction union has hit out at NSW Premier Chris Minns' decision to sack Labor MP Anthony D'Adam from his role as a parliamentary secretary.
Mr D'Adam stood up for civil liberties when raising concerns about the approach of NSW Police's Public Order and Riot Squad at a peaceful pro-Palestine protest he attended.
The Construction Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) has written to Mr Minns, asking him to reverse his decision in the interest of upholding democratic principles around the right to protest.
CFMEU NSW Secretary Darren Greenfield:
"Anthony D'Adam has every right to reflect on what he saw while he was participating in a peaceful protest over the horrific war in Gaza.
"This is about the right to peaceful protest and democratic values, which is why we're calling on Chris Minns to reinstate Mr D'Adam.
"The Coalition's draconian protest laws have already damaged civil liberties in New South Wales so it's up to the Labor government to ensure we don't creep further down that path.
"If the Premier reverses his bad call on sacking Mr D'Adam, he'll be sending a clear signal about his support for core democratic values like the right to protest."
CFMEU National Secretary Zach Smith:
"This is a matter of principle. Punishing someone for simply standing up for the right to peaceful protest is an affront to every person who believes in democracy.
"Whether it's on our streets or in our public universities, the growing opposition to peaceful protests standing up against a genocide is outrageous.
"The same so-called free speech warriors from Australia's political right are nothing but hypocrites obsessed with censoring any criticism of the Israeli government's war, which has killed tens of thousands of innocent people.
"The CFMEU fiercely rejects NSW protest laws designed to trample free speech by threatening to throw peaceful activists in jail."
