Police have arrested 27 protesters, including 10 for allegedly assaulting officers, at a rally against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia in Sydney on Sunday.
Pro-Palestine demonstrators accused NSW Police of unprovoked violence, but Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said the police response was “justified” as officers were “threatened, jostled and assaulted”, and called the behaviour of activists “un-Australian” and “outrageous”.
Police said the crowd “showed an intention to march” in violation of a protest ban after speeches concluded in the evening and were told to disperse. When protesters failed to comply OC spray was used on dozens of people. No injuries were reported.
Police made 27 arrests during protests against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s Australia visit in Sydney on Sunday.
Ten were detained for allegedly assaulting police.
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NSW Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said on Sunday night protest leaders had repeatedly “incited” the crowd to march and used “inflammatory language”, saying officers were attacked in a “rolling melee of violence”.
“It was outrageous the behaviour we saw across Sydney streets tonight and I’m really, really disappointed by it,” he said.
“I’m more disappointed by the leaders who stood up and asked for people to disobey the law, to break the law, and to do the wrong thing.”
A video filmed outside Town Hall showed police punching a man in a white business shirt after he grappled with an officer on a bicycle, while in a separate clip police could be seen forcing Muslim men who were praying on the footpath to move on.
Some of the men pulled off the ground were wearing hi-vis vests saying Palestine Action Group, one of the organisers of the protest, and PAG leader Josh Lees said in a social media video police had “kettled [us] in on all sides” and “violently attacked thousands of peaceful protesters”.
At one point officers forced a group of Muslims, some wearing activist group hi-vis vests, who were praying in the street to move on.
The Australian National Imams Council filed a complaint about this video, but police said it was “out of context”. pic.twitter.com/majJZH9ech
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The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) said it was “outraged” by the footage and had complained to “the NSW Police Commissioner and relevant ministers”.
“The NSW Government and Premier Chris Minns must take responsibility for this conduct and ensure accountability at the highest levels,” the ANIC said.
“This treatment of worshippers is unacceptable in any circumstances. It undermines community trust, offends fundamental freedoms, and must be immediately investigated, rectified, and prevented from recurring.”
But Assistant Commissioner McKenna defended the officers and said the video did not show the full context of the incident.
“I can understand why one video, in particular, might even be offensive to people,” he said.
“But I will say this: please understand they are small videos being put up, and I would say out of context of what was a rolling melee of violence and un-Australian and inappropriate behaviour tonight.”
Earlier in the day left-wing activist Grace Tame led a chant saying “Gadigal to Gaza, globalise the intifada”, and large rallies were also held in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Header image: Left, a police officer punches a protester (X). Right, police force praying Muslims to move on (Instagram).
