A racial stoush between Pauline Hanson and Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi has been reignited after the High Court agreed to hear the One Nation leader’s appeal.

Hanson will be allowed to appeal against a finding that she racially vilified Faruqi with a tweet in 2022 suggesting the immigrant should “piss off back to Pakistan”.

The slur was found to be racially discriminating in 2024 and the decision was upheld in the Federal Court in July.

Hanson sought special leave to appeal to the High Court, saying the decision prevented Australians from speaking their minds for fear they would be labelled racist and face legal action.

Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate someone because of their race, colour or national or ethnic origin.

On Thursday, the High Court determined Hanson had special leave to appeal the Federal Court decision.

Hanson responded to the decision saying “this case has always been bigger than me and bigger than one tweet”.

“Australians must be able to speak their minds, question their government and disagree with each other without being frightened into silence,” she wrote on X.

“That freedom is under attack, including through Labor’s Digital Duty of Care Bill and its threat to lawful debate online.

“I look forward to putting our arguments to the Court about freedom of speech and the constitutional protection of political communication.”

Faruqi is also readying herself to resume the battle and said “bring it on”.

“This has been a long, hard road walked alongside everyone who has been targeted by racism. We won’t be backing down now,” she said.

“The highest court in Australia can now determine once and for all that people in this country are protected against racism.

“People of colour, migrants and Muslims deserve to feel safe in the place they call home. In times like these where we are being attacked and demonised, our legal system must be able to provide protection against vilification.”

The stoush dates back to 2022 when Faruqi posted condolences on the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but added that she could not mourn “the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples”.

Hanson fumed in response that Faruqi’s attitude “appalls (sic) and disgusts me”.

“When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country. You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament,” she wrote.

“It’s clear you’re not happy, so pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan.”

Faruqi was born in Lahore, Pakistan and migrated to Australia in 1992.