Agreement to allow Muslims to finish prayer at Isaac Herzog protest didn’t reach officers, NSW police say | Australian police and policing

New South Wales police say a lack of communication between officers contributed to the violent dispersal of a group of Muslim worshipers at a protest against a visit by Israeli president Isaac Herzog.

Footage of a group of Muslims performing sunset prayers outside Sydney City Hall on Monday being pushed and dragged by police sparked widespread outrage.

NSW police said a senior officer allowed the prayer to end before taking the men on their way.

“The senior officer was attempting to convey this message to other officers who gave instructions to advance during a noisy, dynamic and fast-paced situation,” a spokesman said in a statement on Friday.

“However, some worshipers continued worshiping before the senior officer’s message was delivered.”

Police commissioner Mal Lanyon made a qualified apology, saying that this direction was not aimed at any religion.

“I apologized for any offense taken for interfering with the religious process,” he said in a statement earlier this week.

NSW premier Chris Minns has repeatedly refused to apologize for police actions at Monday’s protest and has staunchly backed police forcibly dispersing worshipers.

He also rejected calls for an independent investigation into police behavior at the protest.

“I truly believe that the NSW police, their leaders, their regular officers would never disrupt a worship service or individual Australians practicing their religion unless it was in the middle of a riot,” Minns said in a statement on Thursday.

Sheikh Wesam Charkawi, leader of Monday’s prayer, said no citizen should need protection from the police, especially when praying.

He said he was not aware of any meetings with any officials or any agreement being made.

“The only remedy for the situation is that it should result in nothing more than an investigation and consequences. The commissioner is ultimately responsible. Those who made the decisions must resign, resign or be dismissed,” he said in a statement on Friday.

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Lawyer and former police officer Mahmoud Hawila met with senior police officer David El-Badawi to allow the men to finish their prayers during the protest. According to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Hawila said police must now release body-body video footage of those involved.

“Simple demands: 1. Release the video. 2. Make a public apology. 3. Independent investigation,” he said in a post on social media.

Monday’s protest was organized by pro-Palestinian groups to coincide with Herzog’s contentious visit to Australia.

The four-day trip was declared a “major incident”, giving police greater powers to search for and take action against activists in much of central Sydney and the eastern suburbs.

Police officers were seen pushing, punching and pepper spraying people at the protest, including paramedics who said they were violently pushed while trying to treat the injured.

After the rally, five people were hospitalized and nine people were charged.