Australia politics live: man charged after Sydney protest over police tactics; Asio chief defends agency against criticisms over Bondi attack | Australia news
Man charged after protest outside NSW police station ends with an hour-long standoff
Penry Buckley
A demonstration against the NSW police response to a protest against the visit of the Israeli president in Sydney on Monday. Isaac HerzogDespite an hour of tension between protesters and police, last night ended mostly peacefully.
As we reported yesterday, the protest was organized by the Palestine Action Group outside Surry Hills police station to “rally against police brutality” following Monday’s violent clashes and to call for all charges against protesters to be dropped. Yesterday’s protest was static and peaceful. Josh LeesOrganizers from the Palestine Action Group appealed to the crowd “not to stay in these areas for too long” when the speakers ended around 7:00 p.m.
While the larger portion of the crowd, numbering at least a thousand people, dispersed, a smaller group of several hundred quickly headed toward the line of about a hundred officers separating the protesters in Harmony park from the police station. Meanwhile, Guardian Australia witnessed a protester being restrained by police behind a police line.
What followed was a tense standoff that lasted more than an hour, with some protesters verbally confronting police in the immediate area and the crowd chanting “quit your job” and “too many police, not enough justice.” Officers brought out pepper spray canisters and some protesters wore protective masks and goggles, but incidents like those seen Monday night did not occur.
Organizers, including Lees, stood facing the crowd with their backs to the police line to prevent the situation from escalating, and eventually managed to persuade the protesters to continue.
An 18-year-old man who allegedly held a torch in the face of officers was arrested during the protest, NSW police said last night. He was taken to Surry Hills police station, where police later said in a further statement that he had been charged with: three counts of assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty without causing actual bodily harm and possession of a knife in a public place.
NSW police deputy commissioner Peter McKenna He said police “showed tremendous restraint under high pressure”.
important events
Sarah Basford Channels
In his opening remarks, Burgess warned those who judge the agency’s actions in retrospect, with the benefit of hindsight.
Naveed first came under Asio’s jurisdiction in August 2019 after he was suspected of being linked to possible Islamic extremism in his youth. In the weeks before the Bondi attack, he and his father, Sajid, went to Davao, Philippines, for a month.
Critics questioned why the trip to the southern province of Mindanao, a former home of pro-Islamic State and Islamist militant groups, did not raise national security flags.
Burgess’s statement is as follows:
In the days and weeks after the Bondi attack, assumptions, allegations, hypotheses and opinions were quickly accepted as fact by some. It was recycled and exaggerated in the following weeks. This has resulted in calls to action that are not supported by any facts.
In a rare public intervention, Asio made a lengthy and critical statement ahead of the program airing on the ABC’s Four Corners program on Sunday.
According to claims by a former undercover agent known as “Marcus” in the episode, father-son terrorists Sajid and Naveed Akram were showing signs of radicalization years before they killed 15 people on Bondi beach.
Asio’s statement said the episode contained “significant material errors” and that it reserved the right to take further action.
Burgess said Tuesday night he was still considering what action to take.
Is there a legal response or additional public statements by me that would prove the false allegations? Of course, I’m aware that there’s a royal commission and I’m aware of that and I think that’s the best place to do that.
On Tuesday night, he reiterated that the alleged former agent’s claims were untrue but said he could present it to the royal commission.
Asio boss rejects criticism over Bondi terror attack
Sarah Basford Channels
The head of Australia’s domestic intelligence agency has dismissed criticism that his officers did not do enough to prevent the Bondi attack, calling it “unfounded”; He declared that a former undercover agent’s claims aired on ABC were untrue.
General manager, Mike BurgessHe told the Senate hearing last night that he expected to order a review into how his own agency, the Australian Security and Intelligence Agency (Asio), assessed the 24-year-old shooters immediately after the attack. Naveed Akram and his 50-year-old father SacidThey first appeared on the radar in 2019.
Burgess said the independent review remained highly confidential but cleared Asio of wrongdoing.
The Akrams were not committed to or intended to engage in violent extremism at the time. So many of the allegations and criticisms made about Asio’s handling of the case are unfounded.
The Asio chief said he welcomed the royal commission’s final report to be produced before December 14, 2026. He said:
The royal commissioner will of course come to his own conclusions.
If it turns out that Asio has made mistakes, we will own them and learn from them.
Man charged after protest outside NSW police station ends with an hour-long standoff
Penry Buckley
A demonstration against the NSW police response to a protest against the visit of the Israeli president in Sydney on Monday. Isaac HerzogDespite an hour of tension between protesters and police, last night ended mostly peacefully.
As we reported yesterday, the protest was organized by the Palestine Action Group outside Surry Hills police station to “rally against police brutality” following Monday’s violent clashes and to call for all charges against protesters to be dropped. Yesterday’s protest was static and peaceful. Josh LeesOrganizers from the Palestine Action Group appealed to the crowd “not to stay in these areas for too long” when the speakers ended around 7:00 p.m.
While the larger portion of the crowd, numbering at least a thousand people, dispersed, a smaller group of several hundred quickly headed toward the line of about a hundred officers separating the protesters in Harmony park from the police station. Meanwhile, Guardian Australia witnessed a protester being restrained by police behind a police line.
What followed was a tense standoff that lasted more than an hour, with some protesters verbally confronting police in the immediate area and the crowd chanting “quit your job” and “too many police, not enough justice.” Officers brought out pepper spray canisters and some protesters wore protective masks and goggles, but incidents like those seen Monday night did not occur.
Organizers, including Lees, stood facing the crowd with their backs to the police line to prevent the situation from escalating, and eventually managed to persuade the protesters to continue.
An 18-year-old man who allegedly held a torch in the face of officers was arrested during the protest, NSW police said last night. He was taken to Surry Hills police station, where police later said in a further statement that he had been charged with: three counts of assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty without causing actual bodily harm and possession of a knife in a public place.
NSW police deputy commissioner Peter McKenna He said police “showed tremendous restraint under high pressure”.
Welcome
Krishani Dhanji
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji I’m here with you for another busy sitting day.
There was further backlash to the protests on Monday night, with Australia’s ambassador for Islamophobia calling for a public apology from NSW police after they were seen grabbing men praying on the street.
Israeli president, Isaac HerzogHe will continue his journey in Australia and visit Canberra today.
Asio defended himself overnight against criticism over the Bondi terror attack at a Senate estimates hearing.
Government reports increase in bulk billing rates – health minister Mark Uşakis making the media rounds this morning, revealing the trend.
And Angus Taylor getting closer to the counter leadership leak every day Susan Ley – All eyes and ears are on the Liberals today to see if they make any moves.
I have coffee, I hope you have it too, let’s have fun!
