Thousands of protesters will defy protest restrictions as they oppose the Israeli president’s controversial visit to Australia next week, with police warning activists could be arrested.
Rallies have been organized in every state capital across the country ahead of Isaac Herzog’s five-day tour, including a major protest in Sydney on Monday.
But organizers’ proposed protest route – from City Hall to NSW Parliament House – has been banned under a declaration allowing police to refuse to allow public gatherings in key parts of the city.
NSW Police have instead urged the Palestine Action Group to come to the table and move the meeting to an approved area.
“We don’t want to be in a situation where we’re at City Hall on Monday night with a significant number of people enforcing the declaration,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Dunstan told reporters on Friday.
“That can and will potentially result in arrests. That can easily be avoided by consultation and cooperation with us to enable protest activities in the right area at the right time.”
Dunstan suggested that demonstrators march along a legal route from Hyde Park to Belmont Park, which had been used on Sunday.
Following the Bondi shooting, laws passing through the NSW Parliament gave police powers to prevent NSW residents from seeking permission to gather after a declared terrorist incident.
A lack of authorization makes participants vulnerable to arrest for obstructing traffic or pedestrians or marching through the streets.
‘A little more attention’
About 4,000 people are expected to attend Monday’s demonstration and 500 police officers will be deployed to monitor the march.
While all visits by heads of state are closely supervised, Dunstan acknowledged that “there was a little more scrutiny on this visit.”
The Israeli president was controversially invited to Australia by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach, killing 15 people on December 14.
He will meet with federal politicians and those affected by the terrorist incident.
But protesters and human rights experts have called for his invitation to be withdrawn, citing his culpability for the Israeli bombing and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.
Herzog has previously said that Palestinians bore collective blame for Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
A Commission of Inquiry of the United Nations Human Rights Council in September found that the statement could reasonably have been interpreted as incitement to genocide.
Herzog has vehemently denied accusations that his comments amounted to incitement, saying they were taken out of context.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles claimed the president would be a “welcome and honored guest” in Australia.
“Having the President of Israel here, the equivalent of our Governor-General, is of great importance to the Jewish community in Australia in the wake of the Bondi massacre,” he told reporters.
“He will be treated with all the dignity and respect he deserves.”
But some within Labor ranks do not want to roll out the red carpet for the Israeli leader.
NSW Labor backbencher Sarah Kaine has said she will march on concerns over the visit while she is federal backbencher Ed Husic has said he feels “very uncomfortable”. about the tour.
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