The Australian opener Usman Khawaja has said the cricket writer Peter Lalor “deserves better” after he was dropped from radio coverage of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka for his social media posts relating to the war in Gaza.
Lalor, the longtime chief cricket writer for The Australian who has appeared on SEN radio coverage for 10 years, revealed he had been dumped during the first Test in Galle in a message to subscribers of his Cricket Et Al substack on Monday night. “I figured, at some point, there would be an attempt to take me down and it has happened,” he said.
“I was told there were accusations I was antisemitic which I strongly objected to. I was told my retweeting was not balanced, and insensitive to one side and that many people had complained.”
Khawaja, who scored a double century in the match during which Lalor was dumped, posted on Instagram saying the news was “unbelievable”.
“Standing up for the people of Gaza is not antisemitic nor does it have anything to do with my Jewish brothers and sisters in Australia but everything to do with the Israeli government and their deplorable actions,” he said. “It has everything to do with justice and human rights.”
Lalor was told he would not be part of the coverage on Saturday, the fourth morning of the match, won easily by Australia.
“I was asked by station boss Craig Hutchison, who was civil, if I didn’t care that my retweeting of events in Gaza made Jewish people in Melbourne feel unsafe. I said I didn’t want anyone to feel unsafe,” Lalor said.
Hutchison issued a statement saying he and Lalor have “different views” of the impact of the writer’s social media activity on the community.
“SEN Cricket is a celebration of differences and nationalities and a place where our SEN audience can escape what is an increasingly complex and sometimes triggering world,” he said.
“We respect Pete as a journalist and long-time contributor to the game but also acknowledge the fear that many families in our community feel right now, and we also need to respect that.”
Guardian Australia has sought comment from SEN radio and Hutchison.
Khawaja has been vocal in his support for Palestinians.
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“Peter is a good guy with a good heart. He deservers better,” the 38-year-old said.
Lalor said he had been posting images of the conflict in Gaza because he wanted to draw attention to the “crimes against humanity” committed by the Israeli government and Hamas.
He said: “The majority of my retweeted posts have been about the sufferings of Palestinians. The asymmetry of my retweeting reflects what can now surely be seen as the asymmetry of the suffering.”
In the post to his subscribers on the Cricket Et Al Substack, the former cricket writer explained his continued posting about the conflict.
“I cannot remain quiet when so many innocent people are being slaughtered. I think I am a compassionate person. I believe I would do the same no matter who was responsible for the wholesale slaughter of so many innocent people and the destruction of their cities,” he said.
“If anything, this episode is instructive. People with more at stake are forced to be silent for fear of these reprisals. I’m in a more fortunate position and of a more careless disposition.”
The second Test begins on Thursday.
