Palestine Action Group legal challenge decision handed down
Updated ,first published
Thousands of people gathered for a sometimes violent demonstration outside City Hall after a court rejected a bid to repeal enhanced police powers during Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Sydney.
On Monday night, crowds, many waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs criticizing Herzog, took to the streets around City Hall and several people were arrested during clashes in which police used capsicum spray on protesters.
Protesters held signs labeling the visiting president a “war criminal” and accusing him of genocide. “Isaac you are pure evil,” one said.
Some of them were holding bloody dolls representing dead Gaza children. Other signs featured wanted posters of Herzog and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Others waved signs featuring Prime Minister Chris Minns and Herzog painted with mustaches reminiscent of Hitler.
The rally took place shortly after the NSW Supreme Court rejected an urgent legal challenge to the broad powers given to police for Herzog’s visit to Australia. Judge Robertson Wright made the orders less than an hour before the planned protest.
The NSW government quietly declared Herzog’s visit a major event on Friday, under legislation often used to manage crowds at major sporting events.
This triggered wide-ranging powers for NSW Police, including shutting down parts of the “major incident area” in the Sydney CBD and eastern suburbs, limiting the number of people who can remain in the area and the power to conduct searches. Walking to Parliament was not a permitted route.
The major incident declaration was not made public until Saturday.
Minutes after the court challenge was rejected, Palestine Action Group spokesman Josh Lees said the protest at City Hall and the planned march to Parliament House would go ahead regardless.
What started as a peaceful rally turned violent as protesters marched from City Hall; Many people were arrested after clashes with police.
Australian of the Year Grace Tame earlier condemned Herzog’s visit, telling the crowd that Australia was “a so-called democracy that punishes peaceful protestors like us but welcomes a war criminal with open arms”.
“A man who said… and I quote, ‘There are no innocent civilians in Gaza,'” Tame said, before chanting “From Gadigal to Gaza, globalize the intifada.”
Labor MPs Dr Sarah Kaine, Cameron Murphy and Stephen Lawrence were at the rally despite Minns using special police powers. Many NSW Greens MPs also attended the meeting.
Jewish independent journalist Antony Loewenstein told the crowd that Israel’s actions “endanger us all, including the Jews.”
“[Herzog] “In Israel he could be seen as a guy to the left of the Labor Party, believe me he is an extremist, which is pretty mainstream in Israel,” Loewenstein said.
Earlier on Monday, a pro-Palestinian protester who shouted “shame” and “free Palestine” as Herzog’s motorcade left the Bondi Pavilion was issued an action order by police under major incident powers while a court challenge was pending. He followed the instructions.
This is the first time the powers have been used solely for the visit of a foreign dignitary.
“We cannot allow a situation where mourners, visitors and protesters are brought into close proximity to each other in a way that risks conflict, violence or disruption of public order,” the government said in a press release on Saturday.
If successful, challenging the jurisdiction of major events would eliminate only one source of potential criminal liability for protesters.
The Palestine Action Group has also launched a pending appeal to pick apart restrictions on public gatherings introduced in the wake of the Bondi tragedy, which strip away legal protections for protesters who obstruct traffic or pedestrians on unauthorized protest routes.
As the crowd gathered at City Hall and chanted “from river to sea, from Herzog to ICC” [International Criminal Court]“Not far away, and still inside the “major event venue” announced for the visit of the Israeli president, children were splashing happily at the water playground in Darling Harbour.
They were being watched by snipers and a hovering police helicopter, preparing for Herzog’s arrival at a different ICC.
Herzog was due to address an event hosted by the Zionist Federation of Australia at the International Convention Center on Monday night.
Jessica McSweeney is a reporter covering city affairs and state politics for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect with: X or email.
Jack Gramenz is a breaking news reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
