One Nation senator Pauline Hanson has accused the government of trying to put her “back in jail” after police received reports of a crime in relation to the senator’s inflammatory comments about Muslims during a media interview.

Senator Hanson was speaking on Sky News when she made the remarks, drawing widespread condemnation from politicians and community leaders.

She later offered a partial apology. 

In a statement, the Australian Federal Police said it was aware of the interview and further comment would be made “at an appropriate time”.

In a post on social media, Senator Hanson said the government was trying to use its new hate speech laws, which were legislated in response to the Bondi terror attack, to put her “back in jail.” 

Ms Hanson spent a brief time in prison in 2003 for election fraud before the Queensland Court of Appeal quashed the conviction.

“Stop gaslighting the Australian public,” she wrote. 

“If Australia doesn’t speak up now our nation will fall victim to the same issues being experienced across Europe, the UK, Canada and other western societies.”

In 2024, the Federal Court found Senator Hanson had a tendency to make anti-Muslim comments and that she had breached the Racial Discrimination Act over a social media post directed at Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi. 

One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce told the ABC on Friday, before Senator Hanson released her statement, that he had not seen the AFP’s comment. 

“I don’t know anything about. I need to know who, what, where?” he said. 

Mr Joyce said he believed Australia was “not a multicultural nation, it is an Australian culture”. 

Comments seek to divide, says PM

On Friday, Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek called for the senator to be charged under the new hate speech laws, which prohibit the public incitement of hatred, discrimination or violence against protected groups.

“Clearly, her target was clearly the Muslim people. And I have no doubt that her remarks will incite someone,” he said.

Lakemba Mosque, the largest mosque in Australia, has reported three threatening letters since the start of the year.

Community leaders said people had been asking them if it was safe to attend prayers.

Calls for more security after third threatening letter to Sydney mosque

Another threatening letter has been sent to Lakemba Mosque in Sydney’s west, the third in recent weeks just hours before the start of Ramadan on Wednesday.

Ms Hanson’s comments have been condemned by both sides of politics.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ms Hanson had made a “career out of dividing Australians” in an interview with the Guardian published before the AFP confirmed it was considering the case.

“This is someone who doesn’t ever look for unity. She looks to blame people who she regards as not being like her,” he said.

Liberal leader Angus Taylor distanced himself from the comments and insisted the Coalition was focused on “core values” rather than race or religion in regards to its immigration policy.

“I will always distance myself from people who think this is about anything other than protecting our way of life, focusing on our core values,” Mr Taylor said.

“I don’t see that focusing on race and religion is the answer to that. I see us focusing on values and what we believe in as the priority here.”