Thousands of Pro-Palestine supporters have gathered at rallies in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Organisers said the gatherings were organised to “stand in solidarity against the war on Gaza” following this week’s escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The Melbourne rally, which began outside the State Library of Victoria, featured hundreds of people wearing red, green and white — the colours of the Palestinian flag.
Outgoing Greens Senator Janet Rice at once point led a chant of “Free! Free! Palestine!”.
“The Greens condemn the horrific attacks on civilians,” Rice wrote on X.
“We condemn the occupation. It’s time for a just and lasting peace. To achieve peace the occupation of Palestine must end.”
Hundreds more also turned out to Sydney’s Hyde Park, where supporters could be seen waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs with read “Justice for Palestine”.
Organisers of the rally said they had put a number of measures in place to make the event in Sydney a “peaceful protest”, following protests last week where people were filmed chanting antisemitic sentiments.
“That won’t be repeated today, we’ve made it very clear we’re against antisemitism or anything like that and we have a number of Jewish speakers speaking today,” co-organiser Josh Lees told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Despite assurances rallies would be safe, NSW Police said more than 1000 officers were on standby.
In Adelaide, hundreds of people have gathered at South Australia’s Parliament House. Students For Palestine Adelaide, the organisers of the rally, said their struggle was one against racism.
“We remind everyone that the struggle for a free Palestine is an anti-racist struggle” they wrote on the Facebook page for the rally.
“We condemn and oppose all forms of racism, including anti-semitism and Islamophobia. Ours is a struggle against the state of Israel, not against Jewish people, many of whom oppose Zionism, and who have a long history of being part of our movement for a free Palestine.
“Anyone wishing to express anti-semitic views is not welcome at our protests.”
The Palestine Action Group Sydney released a statement on Friday saying changes had been made to ensure the rally would be safe.
“This will be a static rally, we will not march but we will be loud, we will be proud and we will show the state that we are in full support of the Palestinian people and will not bow down to their attempts to silence our movement,” the group said.
Rally organiser Fahad Ali posted a video to X from Hyde Park ahead of the rally, saying police presence was large but he was “optimistic” about a successful and peaceful event.
“I’ve spoken to the police and they’ve expressed some goodwill towards us,” Ali said.
“The emergency powers police were seeking haven’t been authorised as of yet. However if they were to be we would be seeking intervention in the Supreme Court.”
NSW Police had sought extraordinary powers earlier this week as they prepared for the rallies, including powers to search without reason and conduct mandatory identity checks.
This caused outcry from organisers who described the powers as “absolutely draconian” and a “huge violation of democracy”, saying the rallies would be safe.
The rallies come after a brutal week in the escalating war between Israel and Hamas. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson told CNN Israel will launch “significant ground operations” in Gaza, following Hamas militants’ attack on Israel last weekend which saw civilians killed in villages and at a music festival, and others kidnapped and held hostage.
Hamas officials say dozens of Palestinians have been killed in air strikes as they try to flee south. This is in addition to the thousands, including many children, killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza City.
The death toll in Gaza sits at more than 2215 according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and the toll in Israel sits at 1300 with thousands more injured on both sides.
Israel’s military warned the United Nations to evacuate 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza, including hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza City, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. There are fears amongst Palestinians that Israel is trying to push people out of Gaza through its southern border with Egypt.
The UN’s under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths also released a statement about the “untenable” humanitarian situation in Gaza, amid a growing water crisis due to Israel blocking resources, The Guardian reported.
“Even wars have rules, and these rules must be upheld, at all times, and by all sides. Civilians and civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian workers and assets, must be protected,” Griffiths said.
More to come.
Header images via @emilycmulligan and @hierobadge via Twitter.
