Photo: Usman Khawaja pictured after posting his maiden Test double century at the age of 38 on Friday 31 January against Sri Lanka.
Australian cricket star Usman Khawaja has expressed strong disapproval over the sacking of respected journalist Peter Lalor from SEN Radio over Lalor’s social media posts in support of Palestine.
Cricket journalist Peter Lalor.
Lalor, a veteran journalist with nearly 30 years of experience, was removed from his position as a commentator during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka after SEN received complaints regarding his posts on X (formerly Twitter).
Lalor had shared content related to the suffering in Palestine, including pictures, articles, and videos. He claimed these posts were the cause of his dismissal.
SEN CEO Craig Hutchison later confirmed Lalor’s departure, citing differing views on the impact of his social media activity. Hutchison emphasized that while Lalor is respected as a journalist, the posts had sparked discomfort among Jewish groups.
According to Lalor, he was told that his retweets were seen as “imbalanced” and “insensitive,” with some accusing him of being antisemitic, a claim he strongly denied. He was informed during the third day of the first Test in Sri Lanka that there were complaints, although the details remained unclear.
In his statement, Lalor expressed confusion over the reasons for his dismissal, explaining that he had been told his social media activity made some people feel unsafe, but he rejected accusations of anti-Semitism.
He further clarified that he was a strong advocate for both peace and human rights and did not intend to target Jewish people, but rather to draw attention to the actions of the Israeli government.
Khawaja, who had just scored a double century in the first Test, took to Instagram to criticise SEN’s decision, labeling it “unbelievable.”
He voiced his support for Lalor, stating that standing up for Gaza was not anti-Semitic, and distinguished between condemning Israeli government actions and targeting Jewish people.
Khawaja added that hatred towards both Jewish and Muslim communities was unfortunate, but it should not be used to silence legitimate discussion about justice and human rights.
He also praised Lalor as a good person who deserved better treatment.
The situation has sparked debate over free speech and the boundaries between personal expression on social media and professional responsibilities in the media industry.
Khawaja’s public support of Lalor has further highlighted the sensitive nature of discussions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict and the challenges of navigating such topics in public forums.
Peter Lalor, another unfortunate victim of the blunt instrument of antisemitism. His apparent Sin was to advocate for Peace and Human Rights. These days even the chant from the River to the Sea by Gentiles would be deemed blasphemous unless it is from the River to the Riveria.