QLD's Free Speech Debate Occupies The Lull Between Olympic Stadium Debate And State Of Origin

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Queensland activists have vowed to challenge new state laws banning the phrase “from the river to the sea” in the high court after more than 20 people were arrested in a weekend of mass protests across Brisbane.

In true Queensland fashion, thousands of protesters have rallied in the CBD to chant this phrase as song lyrics to John Farnham's 1988 pop hit "Two Strong Hearts" - which coincidentally includes these specific words as part of it's chorus.

The new laws carry a maximum sentence of two years in jail, as the State Government looks to criminalise any phrases that have come to represent anti-Israel terrorist war cries, and have been popularised by Hamas and similarly banned paramilitary groups.

However, Queenslanders - despite not really having a dog in this fight - will never, ever let their government tell them how to think or talk.

At least two more people were arrested on Sunday in a march on Parliament House to protest against the laws, a day after 20 were arrested for reciting the prohibited expression or displaying it on a banner during their glam-pop singalong.

The new laws carry a maximum sentence of two years in jail, but the libertarians and lefties of Queensland have made it clear simply do not care, and are making it very clear that they are willing to do time over this affront to their civil liberties.

The Queensland Government is also showing no signs of cracking in the face of this coordinated campaign of protest and public dissent - with Premier Crisafulli and his cabinet doubling down on their endorsement of these bold laws.

Onlookers from the southern states can't seem to understand what the hell is going on, and why this particular issue - that is far more at home in more cosmopolitan places Melbourne and Sydney - has hijacked the entire Queensland political system.

However, what only Queenslanders will know is that this highly emotive free speech debate is merely a gap filler in between more exciting news cycles.

With Origin only a couple months off, and the highly controversial Olympic stadium debate put to bed (for now) Queenslanders are simply just killing time with a furious campaign against what they currently view as draconian politics.

It is not known if this culture war will survive the pyrotechnics of Game 1.